A state judge has ruled to temporarily halt the expulsion of Planned Parenthood from the Texas Medicaid program. Planned Parenthood affiliates brought an emergency lawsuit against the order on Wednesday, asserting that the state failed to give proper notice. The change was set to take effect on Thursday of this week, but the temporary restraining […]
Biden Executive Order Ends Global Gag Rule and Strengthens Health Care Access
Today, President Biden will sign a series of executive orders that will end the global gag rule which prevents nongovernmental organizations from receiving U.S. aid if they provide or recommend abortion care. They will also order a review and assessment of the Title X domestic gag rule, as well as strengthening access to the Affordable […]
Trump Signs Order Aimed at Strengthening Telehealth and Rural Healthcare
On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at empowering rural healthcare providers and expanding access to telehealth services. Medicare has greatly expanded its coverage of telehealth services as part of its coronavirus emergency response, but that expansion is set to expire once the public health emergency is over. The executive order calls […]
Trump Administration Reinstates Texas Medicaid Funding, Allows Planned Parenthood Exclusion
Texas will regain federal Medicaid funding for its state family planning program despite refusing to reinstate Planned Parenthood’s coverage, a move which threatens to embolden attacks on Planned Parenthood in other states. Texas lost its Title X federal funding under the Obama administration in 2012 after removing Planned Parenthood and other “affiliates of abortion providers” […]
More than 1 Million Americans Lost Health Coverage in 2018
In 2018, more than 1 million Americans lost health coverage, continuing a pattern of decline since 2017 when Trump Administration and Congress decreased the Affordable Care Act requirements and regulations. In 2017, 29.3 million Americans did not have coverage and in 2018 this number increased to 30.4 million Americans, while previously the number of uninsured […]
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Federal Judge in Texas Rules ACA Unconstitutional
Friday, a federal judge in Texas ruled the Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional. While the law will not be overturned yet and is still in effect, the decision will be appealed and may go before the Supreme Court. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled the ACA unconstitutional after 18 Republican state attorneys general and two […]
Planned Parenthood Wins Out Over State Attempts to Strip Medicaid Funding
In a win for reproductive rights advocates, today the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider a case between Planned Parenthood and the states of Louisiana and Kansas concerning respective state laws that sought to strip Planned Parenthood of Medicaid funding. This decision means that the appeals court rulings that blocked the respective laws from going into effect will remain in place and Medicaid patients will continue to be covered at Planned Parenthood clinics for non-abortion related procedures.
Virginia Medicaid Expansion to Begin January 1
Two weeks ago, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam approved a state budget that included allocations for Medicaid expansion. The expansion will go into effect on January 1 and will cover over 400,000 currently uninsured adults.
Trump Administration Collaborated with Hate Group to Target Planned Parenthood Says Whistleblower
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) colluded with the national hate group Alliance Defending Freedom to rescind Obama-era Medicaid funding protections for Planned Parenthood and other women’s health centers, according to a letter written by Representative Elijah E. Cummings, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
One Vote Splits the Virginia State House Between Democrats and Republicans
On Tuesday, a ballot recount over a contested seat in the Virginia House of Delegates ended in a one-vote victory for Democratic candidate Shelly Simonds, resulting in a 50-50 split of the state house between Republicans and Democrats. Though the results must be certified by a three judge panel on Wednesday, Simonds is expected to represent the 94th district, located in Newport News, Virginia, unseating Republican incumbent David Yancey.
House of Representatives Passes Devastating Budget Blueprint
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget blueprint that would cut taxes for the wealthy, add as much as $1.5 trillion to the federal deficit, and cuts over a trillion dollars from Medicaid and Medicare.
Republicans Race Again to Repeal Affordable Care Act and Cut Medicaid
The House and Senate intend to vote on a repeal and replace of the Affordable Care Act before the end of September, renewing the fight to defend Medicaid and affordable, comprehensive healthcare access for people across the country.
Texas’s Dangerous Plan for Women Being Reviewed by Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services is currently considering a waiver that would allow Texas to receive federal Medicaid family planning funds despite the state’s refusal to follow federal law by banning providers who offer abortion care, like Planned Parenthood, from receiving federal Medicaid family planning funds. Texas also wants HHS permission to impose […]
Senate Healthcare Bill Would Cut Nearly 1.5 Million Jobs
The majority of the job losses—919,000 jobs—would be in the healthcare industry, but there would be a ripple effect that could lead to a loss of half a million jobs in other sectors, including construction and real estate, finance, retail trade, and public employment.
Maternal Mortality Rates are Rising in the United States
The United States saw a dramatic 27 percent jump in the maternal death rate from 19 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 24 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2014. In 2015, the rate once again went up to 26.4 deaths per 100,000 live births, and it is black women who are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth related incidences than white women.
Healthcare Activists Rally as Senate GOP Delays Vote
McConnell’s June 27th announcement to delay the vote came just as healthcare advocates kicked off their three day long People’s Filibuster in an effort to put pressure on the Senators who were considering voting for a bill that would cut $772 billion from Medicaid and $408 billion from insurance subsidies in order to give a tax break to the top 1 percent of American earners and major corporations.
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Activists Gather at the Capitol to Denounce Trump Budget
Members of Congress joined civil rights leaders and activists at the Capitol yesterday afternoon for a “Hands Off” rally and press conference to denounce damaging cuts to life-saving programs in President Trump’s new budget proposal.
House Passes Bill to Dismantle Healthcare
On Thursday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill that repeals the Affordable Care Act (ACA), ends Medicaid as we know it, defunds Planned Parenthood, and kicks 24 million people off of health insurance.
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IL House Votes to Expand Abortion Access as Hundreds of Women March on Springfield
The Illinois House yesterday voted 62-55 in favor of access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion. The vote on HB 40 came on the same day as the Illinois Women March on Springfield where over a thousand women turned out in support of a large progressive agenda that included women’s equality, immigration, homelessness, criminal legal reform, the environment, LGBTQ rights, healthcare, disability rights, economics, education, and more.
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Latest Republican Plan to Repeal ACA is Even Worse for Women
Earlier this week, House Republicans released a new plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and this proposal is even worse for women’s health than before.
