Jan's Plans & Pans - April 11, 2023

I want to tell you about two recent U.S. District Court rulings that I am following closely that have major implications for access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

The first is a ruling from a Texas judge that would restrict the use of the most common abortion method nationwide. Regardless of what lies in the fine print, let me be clear: Mifepristone, the medication abortion pill in question, was safe and effective when the FDA first approved it over two decades ago, and has remained that way ever since. Study after study has found medication abortions to be an exceedingly safe and effective way to end a pregnancy. Roe v. Wade was not the beginning of women having abortions; it was the end of women dying from abortions. As additional details are made clear in the coming days, know that I will never stop fighting for reproductive freedom and access to reproductive health care, including medication abortion, for all people. Abortion is health care.

The second decision is also from a Texas judge, and it says that the provision in the Affordable Care Act that ensures no-cost preventive care services is unconstitutional. The ACA’s provision of free, vital preventive services has saved countless lives. This ruling guts coverage for a multitude of essential preventive services and screenings, including mammograms, lung cancer and skin cancer screenings, screenings for pregnant women and newborns, and drugs preventing HIV transmission known as PrEP, just to name a few. This decision will not only impact people’s access to care, but will also worsen health inequities, and will end up costing Americans more overall in health care spending. I am urging insurance companies to stand by the American people and continue offering these services free of charge so patients can continue to receive the care they deserve.

Every person deserves access to quality, affordable health care.