Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Idaho To Require Clinics To Report How Many Times A Patient Has Terminated A Pregnancy
The Associated Press: Idaho To Require Personal Details Of Women Getting Abortions
Idaho will require abortion providers to report how many times their patients have terminated a pregnancy in the past and other personal information under the latest anti-abortion law approved in the conservative state. Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signed the legislation Thursday, just two days after approving a measure requiring women seeking abortions to be informed that the drug-induced procedures can be halted halfway. That is despite opposition from medical groups that say there is little evidence to support that claim. (Kruesi, 3/22)
The Associated Press: Kansas Appeals Planned Parenthood Case To US Supreme Court
Kansas is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a federal appeals court ruling that prevents the state from cutting off Medicaid funds to a Planned Parenthood affiliate. Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer said Thursday that the state is seeking to reverse a 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision last month. Colyer is a strong abortion opponent. (3/22)
KCUR: Kansas Takes Its Effort To Cut Off Planned Parenthood To The U.S. Supreme Court
In February, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that Kansas improperly sought to end Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding. The appeals court said states may not cut off health care providers from Medicaid “for any reason they see fit, especially when that reason is unrelated to the provider’s competence and the quality of the healthcare it provides.” (Margolies, 3/22)
In other women's health news —
PBS NewsHour: Why The Federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program’s Fate Is Uncertain
Cunningham’s classes are funded by the federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, which was established in 2010 by the Obama administration to help reduce the number of teen pregnancies. ... But under the Trump administration the program has faced mounting uncertainty. (Santhanam, 3/22)
Reuters: Kentucky Senate Passes Bill Restricting Abortion Procedure
The Kentucky Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation on Thursday to ban a common abortion procedure once the patient reaches her 11th week of pregnancy, in what would amount to one of the strictest abortion limits yet in the United States. The Senate voted 31-5 in favor of the measure, which now goes back to the state's House of Representatives for final approval of changes to a version of the bill it passed 71-11 vote on March 12. Both bodies are controlled by Republicans. (Bittenbender, 3/23)
Concord (N.H.) Monitor: House Passes Bill Allowing Pharmacists To Prescribe Contraceptives
A bill allowing pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives without the need for a doctor’s visit passed the New Hampshire House by voice vote Thursday, as legislators sought to reduce access barriers to birth control. The bill, House Bill 1822, does not allow pharmacists to begin prescribing automatically; they must first be issued standing orders by physicians. Once empowered, the pharmacists would be guided by a national training program for hormonal contraceptives. (DeWitt, 3/22)
