As extreme Michigan Republicans push a dangerous and unpopular anti-abortion agenda following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Biden-Harris administration is taking new action to protect access to reproductive health care services across the country.
A new Executive Order, signed by President Biden last Friday, seeks to safeguard access to reproductive health care services like abortion and contraception, protecting the privacy of patients, and help ensure the security of patients, providers, and clinics.
Here’s what Michiganders are reading about President Biden’s latest actions:
The Gander: What’s In Biden’s Reproductive Rights Executive Order?
“In all, much of this executive order amounts to the president asking other federal agencies to expand or protect what they are in charge of, but that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant. Many federal agencies, including HHS and the FDA, have condemned Roe’s overturn and seem intent on using their power to protect abortion access. This order clarifies their roles.
“‘There is no magic bullet,’ said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, a few days after the overturn. ‘But if there is something we can do, we will find it and we will do it at HHS.’
“Four days after the Roe decision, Becerra unveiled the department’s five-step plan. Biden’s order directly references and builds upon this plan.
“The Department of Justice also condemned the Supreme Court decision, and said they will work with other departments, like the FDA, to protect abortion access.”
ABC Detroit: The impact Biden’s executive order could have on protecting access to reproductive health care
“Some of the things it does include are providing leave for federal workers seeking an abortion out of state, establishing a Task Force on Reproductive Health Care Access and issuing new guidance on patient privacy laws, telling medical providers they in many cases, are not permitted to disclose patients’ private information, including to law enforcement investigating abortions.
“University of Michigan School of Nursing professor Ruth Zielinski says this clarification is something health care workers need not just to protect themselves legally, but to make sure patients tell them the information needed for care.
“‘Where patients can’t talk about, gosh I might be pregnant or I am pregnant and tried to terminate the pregnancy, patients are going to die,’ Zielinski said.”
“And here are key components of what President Biden’s plan will protect:
- Abortion Medication: The order directs HHS to expand access to abortion medications that have been approved by the FDA. It’s not yet clear how HHS will handle this, since some states have included abortion medication in their abortion bans (Keep your eye on this case in Mississippi, which is challenging access to this medication.)
- Emergency Medical Care: Someone who is pregnant or has lost a pregnancy will now have their right to emergency medical care protected by HHS.
- Contraceptives: Access to emergency contraceptives, like Plan B, will be expanded along with family planning services. Under the Affordable Care Act, free preventative care – which includes birth control and contraceptive counseling – is guaranteed. While today’s order directs HHS to protect and expand this access, there were no specific instructions on how the direction will be carried out.
- Legal Protection: The Attorney General and White House Counsel will build a coalition of lawyers encouraged to represent abortion patients, providers, or third parties who lawfully seek or offer reproductive healthcare services. This is important, because even pre-Roe, some states, like Texas, were charging women with murder for having an abortion. However, there’s no word on how these legal protections will extend to pregnant people in states where abortion is currently illegal.
- Information and Privacy: Today’s order was perhaps most comprehensive regarding privacy. In it, Biden directed the Federal Trade Commission to protect consumers who seek abortion information, and to try to curb deceptive information about abortion from being released.”
