Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HHS Removes Trump-Era Ban On Abortion Referrals By Clinics That Get Federal Funds
AP: Biden Lifts Abortion Referral Ban On Family Planning Clinics
The Biden administration reversed a ban on abortion referrals by family planning clinics, lifting a Trump-era restriction as political and legal battles over abortion grow sharper from Texas to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Department of Health and Human Services said Monday its new regulation will restore the federal family planning program to the way it ran under the Obama administration, when clinics were able to refer women seeking abortions to a provider. The goal is to “strengthen and restore” services, said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 10/5)
The Wall Street Journal: New Rule Ends Ban On Federal Funds For Clinics That Refer Abortions
“This rule is a step forward for family planning care as it aims to strengthen and restore our nation’s Title X program,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Our nation’s family planning clinics play a critical role in delivering health care, and today more than ever, we are making clear that access to quality family planning care includes accurate information and referrals—based on a patient’s needs and direction.” (Parti, 10/4)
The New York Times: Biden Officials End Ban On Abortion Referrals At Federally Funded Clinics
The new rule, set to take effect on Nov. 8, deals with what is known as the Title X family planning program, which was created in 1970 and subsidizes birth control, breast and cervical cancer screenings and related preventive care for millions of predominantly low-income patients. ... President Biden signaled shortly after taking office that he intended to rescind the Trump-era rule, writing in a memorandum calling for action on women’s health issues that it put “women’s health at risk by making it harder for women to receive complete medical information.” (Weiland, 10/4)
The Washington Post: Biden Administration Reverses Trump Rule Barring Federally Funded Family Planning Clinics From Abortion Referrals
Critics of the Trump administration’s rewrite of Title X policy derided it as an “abortion gag rule” that constrained what doctors and other health practitioners could discuss with patients. Rather than heeding the restrictions, affiliates of Planned Parenthood, which serve about 4 in 10 of the program’s patients, as well as other health centers forfeited the Title X funds that had been a main support of their work. (Goldstein, 10/4)
In related news about abortion and the federal government —
The Washington Post: Supreme Court Takes The Bench After Long Absence, But Things Have Changed
The Supreme Court’s justices returned to work Monday in their grand courtroom for the first time in 19 months, but little seemed the same as when the coronavirus pandemic forced their departure. In a first for an oral argument at the court, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh participated by telephone from home after testing positive for the coronavirus last week. The courtroom was largely empty, with about two dozen reporters scattered around the seating gallery, along with the justices’ clerks. All spectators, including the arguing attorneys, wore N95 masks. (Barnes, 10/4)
The Washington Post: Top Vatican Cardinal Says Biden Should Not Be Denied Communion
A top Vatican cardinal says President Biden should not be denied Communion amid a push by U.S. Catholic bishops to withhold the sacrament from the president because of his support for abortion rights. Cardinal Peter Turkson, who works closely with Pope Francis, said the sacrament, also known as the Eucharist, should “not in any way become a weapon,” and denying it should only occur in “extreme cases.” (Cassata, 10/4)
