---
title: O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.17. Coverage of certain abortions through certain qualified health plans prohibited; definitions.
collection: code
id: 33-24-59.17
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.17 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/33-24-59.17
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/33-24-59.17.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/33-24-59.17/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t33-ch23-65-(v25)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=68297_0#page=373
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
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publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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heading_path: INSURANCE / INSURANCE GENERALLY / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 33-24-59.17. Coverage of certain abortions through certain qualified health plans prohibited; definitions.

(a) No abortion coverage shall be provided by a qualified health plan offered within the State of Georgia through a state law, a federal law, or regulation or exchange created by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), and regulations or guidance issued under those acts, except in the case of medical emergency.

(b) For the purposes of this Code section, the term ‘‘abortion’’ has the same meaning as provided in Code Section 31-9A-2.

(c) For the purposes of this Code section, the term ‘‘medical emergency’’ has the same meaning as provided in Code Section 31-9A-2.

(d) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed as creating or recognizing a right to an abortion.

(e) It is not the intention of this Code section to make lawful an abortion that is unlawful.

## History

Code 1981, § 33-24-59.17, enacted by Ga. L. 2014, p. 349, § 1/SB 98; Ga. L. 2019, p. 386, § 76/SB 133.

The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, deleted ‘‘currently’’ preceding ‘‘unlawful’’ near the end of subsection (e).

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2014, p. 349, § 3/SB 98, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: ‘‘The General Assembly, by joint resolution, may appoint one or more of its members who sponsored or cosponsored this Act in his or her official capacity to intervene as a matter of right in any case in which the constitutionality of this Act or any portion thereof is challenged.’’

## Law Reviews

For article on the 2014 enactment of this Code section, see 31 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 177 (2014).