Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Next Major Abortion Case Will Be Argued Before Supreme Court On Dec. 1
AP: Supreme Court Sets Arguments In Big Abortion Case
The Supreme Court will hear arguments Dec. 1 in Mississippi’s bid to have the landmark Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing a woman’s right to an abortion overturned. The court issued its arguments calendar for late November and early December on Monday. Mississippi is asking the high court to uphold its ban on most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The state has told the court it should overrule Roe and the 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that prevent states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy. (Sherman, 9/20)
Politico: Supreme Court Sets Dec. 1 For Arguments In Challenge To Roe V. Wade
The Supreme Court on Monday set Dec. 1 arguments on Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy — a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. ississippi's ban has been blocked by lower courts because it directly violates Roe’s protections for pre-viability abortions. The hearing would come after justices this month allowed Texas to move forward with a near-total abortion ban. (Ollstein, 9/20)
USA Today: Supreme Court And Roe: Women Athletes Warn Of Mississippi Abortion Law
More than 500 current and former female athletes urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to reject a Mississippi law that would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. In an amicus brief filed Monday, the athletes cite the importance of "bodily integrity and decisional autonomy" to their individual careers and women's sports as a whole. The list of signatories includes 26 Olympians, 73 professional athletes, 276 college athletes and some of the biggest names in women's sports – from U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe to WNBA veterans Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi. (Schad, 9/20)
In news from Missouri —
AP: Federal Appeals Court To Hear Missouri Abortion Law Case
A federal appeals court on Tuesday will consider whether Missouri can implement a sweeping law aimed at limiting abortions. The law adopted in 2019 would ban abortions at or around the eighth week of pregnancy. It also would prohibit abortions based on a Down syndrome diagnosis. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis isn’t expected to rule for several weeks. (Salter, 9/21)
In related news about family planning in New Hampshire and North Carolina —
AP: Family Planning Clinics Say Loss Of Funds Mean Service Cuts
Family planning providers that were denied state funding for routine health care services such as screenings for cancer and sexually transmitted diseases said Monday that they could see cuts in services and longer patient waiting times as a result. “State funding for this care is critical because it covers low-income and uninsured Granite staters who rely on us for these specific health care services,” said Kayla Montgomery, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, which was denied funding. (9/20)
North Carolina Health News: Advocates Slam Budget Funding Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Texas’ ‘near-total’ abortion ban sent shockwaves throughout the country after the Supreme Court rejected emergency requests to block the law. Implementation of Texas’ SB 8 is calling into question whether the access to legal abortion decided in Roe v. Wade would be put to the test in other states’ legislatures. In North Carolina, advocates say legislatures aren’t only taking action against abortion through “heartbeat” bills like the one in Texas. North Carolina is one of 14 states that sends taxpayer dollars to “crisis pregnancy centers,” facilities that offer pregnancy tests and ultrasounds but also seek to dissuade pregnant people from getting abortions. This year’s North Carolina House budget includes about $9 million in funding to crisis pregnancy centers, compared to the Senate budget which allocates about $3 million. (Thompson, 9/21)
