Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Calls Florida's Six-Week Abortion Ban 'A Terrible Mistake,' Says He Wouldn't Sign 15-Week Ban
The Washington Post: Trump, Who Nominated Antiabortion Judges, Calls Six-Week Bans ‘Terrible’
In an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” former president Donald Trump, the front-runner in the GOP presidential primary, said a state abortion law signed by his top challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), which bans the procedure after six weeks, is “terrible.” ... “I think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake,” said Trump, who appointed three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling guaranteeing abortion access nationally. (Alfaro and Knowles, 9/17)
The 19th: Americans Don’t Trust Politicians On Abortion, Gender-Affirming Care, Poll Finds
The vast majority of Americans — 7 in 10 — think that politicians are not informed enough about abortion and gender-affirming care to create fair policies, new polling by The 19th and SurveyMonkey found. (Becker and Barclay, 9/18)
The 19th: Total Abortion Bans Are Not At All Popular Among Americans, Poll Finds
Only 9 percent of Americans believe that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances even as 14 states are enforcing near-total bans on the procedure, the 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll has found. Past polling has frequently found that people hold sometimes confusing and conflicting opinions about abortion, and this poll is no different: Some of those who say they support completely outlawing the procedure still believe abortion should be allowed in at least some circumstances. (Luthra, 9/18)
In abortion news from Indiana, Ohio, Florida, and the military —
AP: Indiana Attorney General Sues Hospital System Over Privacy Of Ohio Girl Who Traveled For Abortion
Indiana’s attorney general has sued the state’s largest hospital system, claiming it violated patient privacy laws when a doctor publicly shared the story of an Ohio girl who traveled to Indiana for an abortion. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Indianapolis federal court, marked Attorney General Todd Rokita’s latest attempt to seek disciplinary legal action against Dr. Caitlin Bernard. The doctor’s account of a 10-year-old rape victim traveling to Indiana to receive abortion drugs became a flashpoint in the abortion debate days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer. (9/17)
Axios: Florida's Post-Roe V. Wade Abortion Uptick
States near those that banned abortion after Roe v. Wade was overturned saw sharp increases in the number of procedures performed, likely due to an influx of out-of-state patients, according to a new analysis from the Guttmacher Institute. Why it matters: Patients are proving highly motivated to travel to get the care they need, according to Guttmacher, a research organization that supports abortion rights. But for some, that involves overcoming logistical and financial challenges. (Felice, 9/18)
Military Times: House Republicans Demand Data On VA Abortion Procedures
Republican leaders from the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee are threatening to subpoena data on abortions performed at Veterans Affairs facilities if the department keeps refusing to turn over the information. In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., and health subcommittee Chairwoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, said they will schedule a vote to force the department to turn over the information if it is not released to their panel by the end of the month. (Shane III, 9/15)
In other reproductive health news —
Stat: Midwives Could Help Bridge Maternal Health Disparities In The U.S.
In the wake of growing alarm over the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality in the U.S., maternal health experts have been pushing for changes — including expanding the midwife workforce. Studies have shown that deliveries attended by midwives tend to have fewer complications and better outcomes, partially because midwife training relies less on medical intervention, leading to fewer C-sections. (Merelli, 9/18)
AP: Baby Found Dead In Hobbs Hospital Bathroom Where Teen Was Being Treated
Authorities said Thursday they are investigating after an infant was found dead in a Hobbs hospital room occupied by a 16-year-old girl. The teen, accompanied by her mother, was getting treated at Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital on Wednesday. Hospital staff told police they later discovered the dead baby in the restroom. This is the second reported time this year an infant has been found dead in a New Mexico hospital. (9/15)
