France to pay for abortions

PARIS - Agence France-Presse

France yesterday unveiled a package of reforms designed to increase access to abortion, including 100 percent reimbursement of medical costs by the state social security system.

At present French women are only able to claim back between 70 and 80 percent of the costs, which average between 200 and 450 euros depending on whether the abortion is induced by medication taken at home or carried out by surgical procedure in a clinic.

In a statement the government said the move was “necessary to ensure all women have equal access to abortion.”