Tuesday marks three years since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to ban abortion.
Democratic lawmakers warn that the budget bill currently making its way through Congress could further restrict reproductive care.
The bill would ban Medicaid reimbursement to health care nonprofits that received more than $1 million in reimbursement last year or that primarily offer reproductive health services. Places that provide abortions in cases without incest, rape or the mother’s life being in danger would be restricted, too.
That’s places like Planned Parenthood. So far this year, 45% of its patients in Southern New England used HUSKY, CT’s Medicaid.
“If we are defunded, more than 23,000 patients in Connecticut who rely on Medicaid will be blocked from using their insurance to be able to see and get health care from their most trusted health care provider,” Planned Parenthood of Southern New England CEO Leah Skinner said at the Connecticut State Capitol on Monday.
Skinner said that could result in a third of their centers closing nationwide.
“Anti-abortion lawmakers also know that defunding Planned Parenthood won't save taxpayers one dime. In fact, it will cost taxpayers nearly $300 million to defund Planned Parenthood,” Skinner said. “So let's call it what it is. It's a backdoor abortion ban.”
The health care giant is already blocked by federal law from using federal Medicaid money for abortions that don’t include incest, rape or the mother’s life being in danger. The law is called the Hyde Amendment. In January, President Donald Trump (R) signed an executive order that rescinded two Biden-era policies that Trump claimed impeded the Hyde Amendment.
“Only 4% of the services provided by Planned Parenthood involve abortion,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said. “Women's health care will suffer directly, irreparably, catastrophically, as a result of these cuts.”
