Trump-Pence Administration Announce Title X Gag Rule
Last night, the Trump-Pence administration announced changes to the Title X program that amount to a domestic gag rule.
“This rule is another attempt by the Trump-Pence Administration to deny women access to reproductive health care,” said Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF). “It is unconscionable to force medical professionals to withhold information and referrals from patients who need them.”
Among other changes, the proposed rule will ban providers in the Title X program from referring for abortion care, even if their patients ask to be referred. Providers will be allowed to provide patients with a list of other health care professionals, but the list cannot denote which of those providers can provide abortion care. Additionally, the rule seeks to bar abortion providers from participating in Title X at all by requiring the physical separation of facilities that provide abortion care from those that receive Title X funding. This will only serve to further stigmatize abortion care and make it harder for patients to access the comprehensive reproductive health care they need.
NAF, along with 100 public health organizations are opposing this gag rule.
“The proposed rule is a dangerous attack on women’s health, and it will not go unchallenged,” said Saporta.
CONTACT:
Alissa Manzoeillo, National Abortion Federation
202.667.5881, ext 219; 202.595.4395 (after hours/cell)
[email protected]
The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is the professional association of abortion providers. Our members include individuals, private and non-profit clinics, Planned Parenthood affiliates, women’s health centers, physicians’ offices, and hospitals who together care for approximately half the women who choose abortion in the U.S. and Canada each year. Our members also include public hospitals and both public and private clinics in Mexico City and private clinics in Colombia. Our mission is to ensure safe, legal, and accessible abortion care, which promotes health and justice for women.