Trump sets up new abortion obstacles, barring family planning clinic referrals
The Trump administration today set up new obstacles for women seeking abortions, barring taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from making abortion referrals. The new policy is certain to be challenged in court.
The final rule released today by the Health and Human Services Department also would prohibit federally funded family planning clinics from being housed in the same locations as abortion providers, and require stricter financial separation.
Clinic staff would still be permitted to discuss abortion with clients, along with other options. However, that would no longer be required.
The move is the latest in a series of Trump administration efforts to remake government policy on reproductive health.
The American Medical Association warned it could have an impact far beyond abortion, potentially affecting access to health care services now provided to low-income women by the clinics, including birth control, cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. By law, the family planning program does not pay for abortions.
"This is the wrong prescription and threatens to compound a health equity deficit in this nation," AMA president Barbara L. McAneny said in a statement.
"Women should have access to these medical services regardless of where they live, how much money they make, their background, or whether they have health insurance."
It could be some time before women served by the federal family programme feel the full impact. Women's groups, organisations representing the clinics, and Democratic-led states are expected to sue to block the policy from going into effect. Administration officials told abortion opponents on a call Friday that they expect legal action, according to a participant.
Abortion is a legal medical procedure, but federal laws prohibit the use of taxpayer funds to pay for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the woman.
Planned Parenthood, whose affiliates are major providers of family planning services as well as abortions, said the administration is trying to impose a "gag rule," and launched a full campaign to block it. Congressional supporters of the organization said it receives about $60 million a year from the federal programme.
"I want our patients to know this — we will fight through every avenue so this illegal, unethical rule never goes into effect," said Planned Parenthood's president, Dr. Leana Wen.
She said the new policy would prevent doctors from referring women for abortions "even if your life depended on it."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, declared: "Republicans must end their relentless assault on women's health care and rights."
Planned Parenthood and other groups representing the clinics say the new requirements for physical separation of facilities would be costly and all but impossible to fulfill.
Planned Parenthood said the administration is making another attempt to drive it out of business, after efforts to deny funding failed in Congress.
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