 Health Care |
Health Care |
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White House moves to enhance reproductive privacy protections |
The White House is proposing to revamp the main federal health privacy law to offer stronger legal protections for people who obtain abortions as well as the providers who perform the procedure. |
It's a move advocates have long been calling for and comes on the heels of a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that could threaten the availability of a common abortion pill. The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights will soon issue a proposal that would prevent an individual's private medical information from being disclosed to state officials who want to investigate, sue or prosecute an individual, a health care provider or a loved one for seeking out or performing an abortion.
"HHS has heard from patients, providers, and organizations representing thousands of individuals that this change is needed to protect patient-provider confidentiality and prevent private medical records from being used against people for merely seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care," the agency said.
The proposal would update the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, to cover the information of people who may cross state lines to avoid an abortion ban.
It would also apply to any type of reproductive health care that's protected under federal law, such as miscarriage management, regardless of the state in which the care is provided.
But that information would not necessarily be protected if a patient has an abortion in a state that expressly bans abortion.
The steps announced Wednesday build on the White House's work to protect abortion access and follow months of pleading by advocates and lawmakers to better protect patients' reproductive health care info.
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Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. |
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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Electronic cigarette company Juul has reached a multimillion dollar settlement with six states and the District of Columbia to resolve multiple lawsuits alleging the company illegally targeted young people with its advertising campaigns. Without admitting to any wrongdoing, Juul agreed to pay out $462 million in the multistate settlement. The plaintiffs included California, Colorado, D.C., Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico … |
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| Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are calling for a hearing into a federal judge’s decision to invalidate the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. “As members of the Committee of jurisdiction over FDA and our nation's drug approval process, we have an important responsibility to review and consider any detrimental impacts or threats to FDA's ‘Gold … |
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| Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) hasn't touched it. Neither has Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) or Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.). It’s been four days since a federal judge in Texas invalidated the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone, and top Republicans have largely been silent on the issue. Even former President Trump, who appointed Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, hasn’t … |
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Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: |
- The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could rule Thursday on the administration's request for a stay in the Texas abortion pill case.
- The Justice Department said it intends to ask for a stay in a separate Texas case involving ObamaCare preventive services.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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A surge in fatal drug overdoses driven by the opioid epidemic is taking a heavy toll on older adults. While the crisis has had a devastating impact across all age groups, overdose deaths have risen especially sharply among seniors, a demographic particularly vulnerable to the negative health effects of substance use and one that's rapidly growing as Baby Boomers age. |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- Iowa stops paying for rape victims' morning-after pills and abortions (The Des Moines Register)
- Dentists in western NC brush up on skills in new pilot program to better care for underserved (North Carolina Health News)
- Oregon has not yet made plans to stockpile abortion pills (KOIN)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Feds launch criminal investigation into 'AGGA' dental device and its inventor (KFF Health News)
- Senate hashing out policy details on generics, PBMs, insulin (Stat)
- The tragic, preventable reasons syphilis is surging among U.S. infants (The Washington Post)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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Two House Democrats called on Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to resign on Wednesday, a stunning move underscoring the rising concern over her prolonged … Read more |
| The biggest leak of classified documents in a decade created a sprawling crisis in Washington this week as records detail alleged U.S. spying on allies, … Read more |
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Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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