Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Abortion Doctors Face Quandary Over Future Work In Post-Roe Times
Politico: Abortion Doctors’ Post-Roe Dilemma: Move, Stay Or Straddle State Lines
The Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade and clearing the way for roughly half the states to ban abortion is forcing the nation’s providers to upend their lives and could radically alter the reproductive health care landscape. One clinic in Alabama, for example, is offering its roughly dozen staff members buyouts to give them a couple months’ cushion if they need to search for jobs in other states. (Ollstein, 6/29)
Time: Abortion Providers In Anti-Abortion States Share Their Plans
On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, undoing the constitutional right to abortion that has been in place for nearly 50 years. The reversal paves the way for states to ban or limit abortions, and many are expected to do so soon. Four abortion providers who live in states that severely restrict or are likely to soon criminalize abortion spoke with TIME about what they plan to do now. Some say they’ll shift care across state borders, while others resolve to amp up their activism in a post-Roe America. Yet all four providers say they dread the way new laws will endanger pregnant people seeking abortions. Their interviews have been lightly edited for length and clarity. (Law, 6/24)
The Washington Post: Physicians Face Confusion And Fear In Post-Roe World
It had been barely 80 minutes since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday when physician Nisha Verma’s phone pinged with an urgent group message from another obstetrician and gynecologist that made her catch her breath. There was a woman in Wisconsin carrying a fetus with anencephaly, a fatal birth defect in which parts of the brain and skull are missing. With abortion likely illegal in the state, the clinic had canceled her appointment for a termination later that day. But forcing her to continue the pregnancy was cruel and risked complications. What should I do? the doctor wrote. (Cha, 6/28)
NBC News: Black Abortion Providers Wonder What’s Next For Them After Roe V. Wade
The end of Roe v. Wade has upended the lives of Black abortion providers across the country, with many medical and administrative professionals contemplating leaving the field for fear of prosecution. Black-women led clinics, grassroots organizations and advocacy groups have long filled gaps in health care coverage and the social safety net, especially in regions where abortion access is limited and Black and Latino people make up a majority of patients. But with trigger laws set to ban or restrict abortion, and legislation targeting doctors who perform the procedure, many Black abortion providers are unsure of their futures. Some are shifting their focus to other forms of reproductive care. (Adams, 6/28)
WWMT: Michigan Doctors Prepare To Weigh Legal Risks For Life-Saving Abortion Procedures
“It certainly opens the door to a lot of subsequent questions and legal grey areas,” said Dr. Joelle Abramowitz, assistant research scientist at the Survey Reach Center at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. Under the 1931 law, health care providers could be charged with a felony punishable by up to two years in jail for helping to perform an abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. “All of these laws have sort of a chilling effect on people who provide this healthcare and create a lot of fear that leads people to be hesitant, you know whether it's treating an ectopic pregnancy..." said Owens. "Or, you know, dealing with somebody's pregnancy - potentially unwanted pregnancy - where someone breaks their water really early and then gets very sick with an infection that could be life-threatening. You know, it's not always totally clear, but I will tell you that people are going to hesitate because of that fear of criminalization.” (Louise Just, 6/28)
