Bush's Attack on Women’s Health Is Bad Medicine
On August 22, 2008, the Bush administration proposed a regulation to allow providers to withhold critical health care information.
On September 19, 2008, the New York Times published an op-ed by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America president, Cecile Richards that blasted Bush's proposed rule.
The proposed regulation jeopardizes a patient’s right to know her options. This rule would completely disrupt the nation’s health care delivery system at a time when more and more families are uninsured and under economic assault. Here’s why:
- The HHS proposed regulation is intentionally vague. By leaving the term “abortion” undefined, the regulation creates a dangerous space for ideology and political views to be inserted into medical practices, emergency rooms, and clinics all across the country, and when that happens, women suffer.
- The proposed regulation complicates the law instead of clarifying the law. The new regulation lets health care providers define abortion, which could threaten broader reproductive health care, including contraception.
- The fact that HHS took out the definition of abortion that was included in an earlier draft is a red herring because this proposed regulation — even more than the previous leaked version — leaves health care services and information open to personal interpretation and political agendas.
- This rule will allow anti-choice extremists to receive federal funds for so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" — anti-choice facilities whose purpose is to deceive and dissuade women from accessing birth control and abortion information and services.
This is just one more example of how the Bush administration puts politics in the exam room. Planned Parenthood will not stand by and watch the Bush administration deny quality, affordable health care and accurate information to women.
Press Statements & News Releases
Already, the public has reacted strongly in opposition to a previous similar draft HHS rule. Members from professional community groups across the country drafted letters urging HHS Secretary Leavitt to reject that rule. These groups include
Medical Professionals
Clergy
Members of Congress
Governors
Attorneys General
State Agencies
Newspapers across the country also ran editorials and columns speaking out against the previous draft rule
Associated Press: States, medical groups oppose abortion rule
Austin-American Statesmen: EDITORIAL: Leavitt should drop proposed health care rule
Bloomberg: Doctors Who Refuse Abortions Shielded by U.S. Plan (Update2)
Charleston City Paper: Bush attacks abortion access
Courier- Journal: 'Politically motivated' attack on women's health
Delaware Online: Job exceptions for health workers would deny care
Des Moines Register: Oppose change that puts reproductive rights at risk
The Detroit News: Keep the choice in hands of patients
Honolulu Star Bulletin: Gathering Place: Proposed rule an assault on women’s health care
Indiana Statesmen Editorial: A STEP TO THE LEFT
LA Times Blog: Bush administration unveils new abortion regulation
Reuters: Health officials stops short of defining abortion
Seattle Times Editorial: Bush administration proposal is an attack on reproductive health
Staten Island Advance: An agency's end-run around Roe v. Wade; The Bush administration hopes to accomplish by fiat what it could not in Congress and the Supreme Court
The Times Picayune: An attack on women's health
Wall Street Journal: Rules Let Health Workers Deny Abortions Regulation's Effect On Contraception Remains Unclear
Washington Post: Protections Set for Antiabortion Health Workers Opponents Denounce Proposed Regulation Allowing Federal Officials to Pull Funding
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Published: 08.08.08
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