A new rule enacted by the Biden administration will allow clinics which receive federally funded planning aid to advise that abortions are an option for terminating pregnancies. The move reverses a Trump-era rule that prohibited clinics which receive government money from referring patients for abortions.
A woman’s right to choose is front and center with the Biden administration. It’s also very much on the mind of voters. Thousands of protesters took to the streets over the weekend across America to protest the new Texas abortion law and the Supreme Court scheduled to hear a case this term that could overturn Roe v. Wade. The Washington Post writes of today’s announcement:
The new rule for the half-century-old family planning program known as Title X will allow health centers to receive the federal funds even if they refer patients for abortions. It takes effect Nov. 8.
The rule reverses a move initiated in 2018 by former president Donald Trump to appeal to the social conservatives crucial to his political base, siding with them in a long-running battle with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and other family planning groups.
“Today more than ever, we are making clear that access to quality family planning care includes accurate information and referrals — based on a patient’s needs and direction.”
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra
The New York Times provides context:
The 2019 rule set by the Trump administration aggressively targeted organizations that offer abortions, including Planned Parenthood, and was a top priority of social conservatives during Mr. Trump’s term as president. Regulations surrounding the 1970 Title X law already banned direct funding of abortion, but organizations such as Planned Parenthood have relied on Title X money to subsidize other women’s health services, such as dispensing birth control and providing cancer screenings.
The new rule goes into effect November 8.