Obama Protects Planned Parenthood Funding, But Permanency Of Rule Far From Certain

The New York Times: Obama Bars States From Denying Federal Money To Planned Parenthood
Mindful of the clock ticking down to a Trump presidency, the Obama administration issued a final rule on Wednesday to bar states from withholding federal family-planning funds from Planned Parenthood affiliates and other health clinics that provide abortions. The measure takes effect two days before the Jan. 20 inauguration of Donald J. Trump. The rule was proposed three months ago, when many Democrats assumed the next president would be Hillary Clinton; she presumably would have promoted the rule’s completion if it were still pending. (Calmes, 12/14)

The Washington Post: Obama Administration Blocks States From Cutting Off Grants To Planned Parenthood
The rule stipulates that states may not prohibit an organization from participating in Title X — the state-federal program that gives out tens of millions of dollars for family planning — for any reason other than the organization’s ability to provide services. It is designed to undercut efforts in some states to withhold taxpayer money from Planned Parenthood, which offers a variety of health-care services, primarily to low-income women. While the money cannot be used for abortions, some conservative lawmakers have targeted the group because it also offers the procedure at some of its clinics. Abortion rights groups lauded the rule but cautioned that it could be reversed by the next administration. (Somashekhar, 12/14)

NPR: Obama Moves To Protect Planned Parenthood Funding
"President Obama has cemented his legacy as a champion for women's health," said Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards in a written release. "This rule protects birth control, cancer screenings, [sexually transmitted infection] testing and treatment and other health care for millions of people." (Kodjak, 12/14)

The Hill: New Rule Protects Planned Parenthood Funding At State Level 
The Obama administration on Wednesday released a long-awaited regulation that bars states from defunding Planned Parenthood for political reasons. The rule comes after more than a dozen GOP governors and state legislatures have attempted to block Medicaid funding from going toward Planned Parenthood clinics in their state. Nearly all the defunding actions have been challenged in court, and many have already been struck down, including in Ohio, Mississippi and Arkansas. (Ferris, 12/14)

CQ Roll Call: Administration Moves To Secure Federal Family Planning Funds
The Obama administration on Wednesday moved to make it harder for states to restrict federal funding for health care providers such as Planned Parenthood that have family planning or women’s health services. While the move was cheered by Democrats and public health advocates, the praise from some groups was coupled with an acknowledgment that next year, Republicans in Congress and the new administration could simply undo the policy. Over the past five years,13 states have attempted to shut down providers who offer abortion by changing how they distribute the federal money for family planning, which is known as Title X funding. Some states have done this by redistributing the funds toward hospitals or general community health centers, and away from clinics that specialize in family planning, including those that don’t provide abortions. (Siddons, 12/14)

In other news —

The New York Times: Abortion Is Found To Have Little Effect On Women’s Mental Health
It’s an idea that has long been used as an argument against abortion — that terminating a pregnancy causes women to experience emotional and psychological trauma. Some states require women seeking abortions to be counseled that they might develop mental health problems. Now a new study, considered to be the most rigorous to look at the question in the United States, undermines that claim. (Belluck, 12/14)

Chicago Tribune: Study Details Anxiety Women Feel After Being Denied An Abortion 
A new study offers a window into the mental state of women after they seek an abortion. Women who were denied an abortion experienced more initial anxiety and lower self-esteem and life satisfaction than women who received one, according to a study published today in the JAMA Psychiatry journal. Researchers followed nearly 1,000 women in 21 states over five years after they tried to obtain an abortion. They followed a group who received the procedure, and another who were denied. (Bowen, 12/14)

Columbus Dispatch: House Discussing Whether To Return To Override Heartbeat Bill Veto
Leaders of the Ohio House are consulting with Republican members about whether to reconvene in Columbus in an attempt to override Gov. John Kasich's veto of the Heartbeat Bill. While Speaker Cliff Rosenberger believes Kasich "made an important step forward" by approving a 20-week abortion ban, "some members believe the veto of the Heartbeat Bill took a step backward on this important issue," said House GOP spokesman Brad Miller. (Ludlow, 12/14)