Israeli women from ages 20 to 33 will be eligible to receive government-funded abortions in 2014.
The new eligibility is part of the country’s state-subsidized basket of health services for this year, approved Dec. 30. Currently, the government pays for abortions only for medical reasons and for girls younger than 18.
The head of the health basket committee, Jonathan Halevy of Shaare Zedek Jerusalem Medical Center, said the eventual goal is to raise the covered age to 40.
Contraception is not covered in the health basket, which still must be approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health and the Cabinet. — jta