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Navy Supplemental Guidance to Command Notification of Pregnancy Policy, Admin Absence and Travel for Non-Covered Reproductive Health Care

Posted on March 6, 2023 Updated on March 2, 2023

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NAVADMIN 058/23
 
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SUBJ/NAVY SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE TO COMMAND NOTIFICATION OF PREGNANCY POLICY, 
ADMINISTRATIVE ABSENCE AND TRAVEL FOR NON-COVERED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE//

REF/A/MSG/SECNAV/271542ZFEB23//
REF/B/MSG/SECNAV/271617ZFEB23//
REF/C/DOC/OPNAV/12MAR18//

NARR/REF A IS ALNAV 017/23, COMMAND NOTIFICATION OF PREGNANCY POLICY.   
REF B IS ALNAV 018/23, ADMINISTRATIVE ABSENCE OR TRAVEL FOR NON-COVERED 
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE.   
REF C IS OPNAVINST 6000.1D, NAVY GUIDELINES CONCERNING PREGNANCY AND 
PARENTHOOD.//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN provides interim supplemental guidance to references 
(a) and (b) to ensure our Sailors and their families have access to 
reproductive health care, regardless of where they are stationed in service 
to our Nation.  In doing so, this guidance ensures the privacy of protected 
health information.  All hands shall be made immediately aware of this 
guidance.

2.  Approval Timeline and Appeals.  References (a) and (b) provide the 
methodology that must be applied for command notification of pregnancy and 
approval of administrative absence or funded travel for non-covered 
reproductive health care.
    a.  Approval Timeline.  Commanding officers (CO) or approval authorities 
must act promptly and with appropriate discretion when considering a request 
for administrative absence or funded temporary duty (TDY) travel.  If a 
command structure does not have a designated CO, the approval authority is 
defined as the head of the unit, activity, or organization who holds command 
and control authority.  Due to the time-sensitive nature of many reproductive 
health care, approval decisions should be made no later than (NLT) 5 days 
after the request is submitted.
    b.  Appeal Process.  If the CO or approval authority denies the 
administrative absence or funded travel for non-covered reproductive health 
care, the CO or approval authority must notify the first O6/GS15 or higher 
immediate superior in command (ISIC).  The Service Member may appeal the 
request to the same O6/GS15 or higher ISIC. Appeal decisions should be made 
promptly, NLT than 5 days after the request is denied.

3.  Administrative Procedures:
    a.  Requesting administrative absence.  The Navy Standard Integrated 
Personnel System (NSIPS) will be used for non-covered reproductive healthcare 
requests.  NSIPS (to include NSIPS Web Afloat) will be updated to reflect 
administrative absence for non- covered reproductive health care.  Until this 
update is completed, the following procedures will be used:
        (1) Select *Convalescent* in block 12a of the leave request.  Input 
comment *Administrative Absence for Non-Covered Reproductive Health Care* in 
block 24.  Do not input any Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 
Act (HIPAA) information into NSIPS.
        (2) Administrative absence requests will be limited to the lesser of 
21 days, or the minimum number of days essential to receive the required care 
and travel needed to access the care by the most expeditious means of 
transportation practicable.
        (3) Requests for convalescent leave following receipt of non-covered 
reproductive health care must be submitted as a separate convalescent leave 
period and may be approved based on a recommendation from a Department of 
Defense (DoD) health care provider or a non-DoD health care provider from 
whom the Service Member is receiving care.
        (4) Leave approvers are responsible for ensuring the duration of the 
administrative absence is the minimum amount required to receive the required 
care and requisite travel within the limits outlined in this NAVADMIN.
    b.  Requesting funded TDY travel.  If requesting funded TDY travel, the 
request shall be submitted in Defense Travel System
(DTS) as a routine TDY.  No HIPAA information will be uploaded into DTS as 
part of substantiating documentation for funded travel.

4.  Command Tracking Requirement.  Reference (b) guidance requires the Navy 
to track administrative absences and travel costs executed by all authorized 
travelers for non-covered reproductive health care.  Until a permanent 
solution is implemented at a later date, the following is required:
    a.  Commands shall send monthly reports to 
ALTN_pregnancyandparenthood(at)navy.mil.
    b.  Reports shall use the template located at
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Support-Services/Culture-Resilience/Parenthood-
Pregnancy/ which includes the required data in paragraphs 7.c.4(a) through 
paragraph 7.c.4(e) of reference (b).

5.  Reference (c) will be updated to reflect new guidance and policies.

6.  Additional resources.  Additional fact sheets and frequently asked 
questions are located at the below addresses:
a.	 https://www.health.mil/News/In-the-Spotlight/Ensuring-Access-to-
Reproductive-Health-Care
   b.  https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/References/Messages/ALNAV-2023/
   c.  https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/References/Messages/NAVADMIN-2023/
d.  https://www.med.navy.mil/Navy-Marine-Corps-Public-Health-Center/Womens-
Health/
e.  https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Support-Services/Culture-
Resilience/Parenthood-Pregnancy/
f.  The Navy Fact Sheet will be available on the Navy Messages page at 
www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/References/Messages/NAVADMIN-2023/.

7.  Point of contact for this matter is People and Culture (OPNAV N174)  
via e-mail at ALTN_pregnancyandparenthood(at)navy.mil.

8.  This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled.

9.  Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.//

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