Last week, colleagues @Guttmacher and I put forward 9 key actions that #Congress should take to support sexual and reproductive rights during the #COVID19Pandemic. As they work on a fourth relief package, here's a reminder of what they should do:
guttmacher.org/article/2020/0…
1) Treat sexual and reproductive health care as the essential care it is. This includes ensuring that patients may continue to travel for reproductive health care even under any measures that restrict most commerce and travel. More on that here:
guttmacher.org/article/2020/0…
2) Protect and expand access to comprehensive health insurance coverage, including by supporting Medicaid and expanding ACA marketplace coverage:
guttmacher.org/gpr/2019/02/pr…
3) Bolster support for family planning providers in the US & globally by⬆️funding for the #TitleX national family planning program & U.S. global reproductive health assistance. It also means passing the #GlobalHer Act to repeal the #GlobalGagRule.
guttmacher.org/article/2019/0…
4) Protect and expand access to timely abortion care. To do this, Congress should pass the Women's Health Protection Act and eliminate discriminatory restrictions on insurance coverage of abortion, such as the #HydeAmendment. #BeBoldEndHyde
guttmacher.org/article/2019/0…
5) Promote safe maternal and newborn care. This includes
appropriating additional $ to scale up programs for safe pregnancy, delivery & postpartum care both in the US & overseas and passing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus.
…ernalhealthcaucus-underwood.house.gov/Momnibus
6) Protect the pharmaceutical supply chain. Congress must include contraceptive drugs & devices, condoms, drugs used for medication abortion, antibiotics for treating STIs, HIV medication, vaccines for HPV, and other products are in any efforts to bolster the US supply drug.
7) Support #telehealth for reproductive health services & providers. Congress must mobilize resources for telehealth systems, including for reproductive health, & push states to eliminate unnecessary barriers use of telehealth services, inc. under Medicaid
guttmacher.org/gpr/2019/05/im…
8) Prevent religious orgs from denying essential care & discriminating against patients. Congress must prevent the #Trump administration from enforcing regulations that put religious & moral refusals above patients’ rights & should pass the Do No Harm Act.
guttmacher.org/gpr/2019/10/tr…
9) Secure the rights of people and communities at heightened risk. In addition to all of the challenges above, many groups of people face a range of severe social, economic, physical and political barriers to health services, often imposed purposefully by the Trump administration
9 cont) To do this, Congress should pass the Support #UNFPA Funding Act, expand immigrants’ access to health insurance coverage, and bar the Trump administration from enforcing its harmful “public charge” rule, among other actions.
guttmacher.org/article/2019/1…
It's clear that reproductive health care is especially vulnerable to the problems posed the COVID-19 pandemic & is being singled out & attacked during this crisis. Congress must enact strong protections for sexual & reproductive health & rights, which are more critical than ever.
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