HHS Regulations: Round Two
On Thursday, HHS proposed a new set of regulations addressing conscience clause opt-outs for health care professionals. These regulations reiterate that providers are able to refuse to provide abortion care to women, regardless of circumstances.
An earlier set of regulations proposed by the Bush administration tried to classify contraception as abortion, meaning health care professionals would have been able to deny women birth control too. Thanks to protests from the pro-choice community, the redefinition of abortion didn’t make it into the newest round of draft regulations.
Nonetheless, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, and Senators Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray have all issued statements criticizing the regulations, citing that they are alarmingly vague and invite concern that current abortion regulations will be stretched to apply to contraception as well as abortion.
HHS is accepting comments on these regulations for the next 30 days — you can have your say by e-mailing consciencecomment@hhs.gov.
By Tara Sweeney