Hello all Planned Parenthood Advocates of VA! Wow has session been flying fast. And what we have been seeing down at the General Assembly this year has been nothing short of dirty politics. Bills attacking a woman’s rights to her reproductive health have entered the House and the Senate from all different angles. Politicians have decided that they are more qualified than women and their health care providers to make decisions regarding family planning, birth control, abortions services, and protections against cervical cancer. Virginia will soon become one of the most unfriendly states towards not only women and their healthcare, but men and people of low income across the board that utilize public clinics like Planned Parenthood for a variety of services.
Although this session we are seeing the real side to many of our conservative politicians, we are also seeing the true determination to stop bad policy from our liberal allies and dedicated constituent activists who spend countless hours at the General Assembly, trying to bring scientific fact back into medical policy. By sticking together and not missing a beat, our activists can celebrate our victories of defeating SB637 and delaying HB1285 until 2013. These bills effectively take a research study not agreed upon by the scientific community and try to cut off access to abortion services after 20 weeks, claiming that the study proves a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks. Coincidentally, the medical community has reported that “evidence regarding the capacity for fetal pain is limited but indicates that fetal perception of pain is unlikely before the third trimester” and this is because “the capacity for conscious perception of pain can arise only after thalamocortical pathways begin to function, which may occur in the third trimester around 29 to 30 weeks’ gestational age” Why are policies being created that deny medical community consensus? For every dedicated medical professional, there is someone else who is just looking to make a buck. I for one am not willing to accept the latter medical opinion on anything!
Although we have stopped some harm, we have a lot more harm coming our way. Mandated ultrasounds for women seeking abortion services, defunding of services, HPV vaccination requirement elimination, and potential risks to birth control access are still looming over Virginian women’s heads. But session is not over. We still have a chance to make a difference! Our representatives have their own agendas, but they also need to get re-elected. One of the first places many Delegates and Senators look for constituent opinion is in the Letters to the Editor section of their district’s local and regional newspapers. Keep checking the updates on our 2012 Bill chart to see the status of legislation that could affect you, your children, or someone you know and click on the links provided for fact sheets about each issue. Write a letter to your paper, and encourage others to do the same. Let your representatives know that what they are doing is not in the best interest of their constituency. And perhaps more importantly for them, let them know that if they continue to not accept and carry out the opinions of their constituency, they will find themselves in a crisis come November.
source: Lee SJ, Ralston HJ, Drey EA, Partridge JC, Rosen MA (2005). “Fetal pain: a systematic multidisciplinary review of the evidence”. JAMA 294 (8): 947–54. doi:10.1001/jama.294.8.947. PMID 16118385. http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/local/scisoc/brownbag/brownbag0506/fetalpain.pdf.
Virginians may be wondering what the big deal is about HPV, and why our state government is actually taking a mandatory vaccination requirement out of medical policy. Depending on how your politician spins the story, you might think HPV vaccinations cause kids and teenagers to start having sex like wild animals. Well, I think you might want to ask your politician if he’s ever gone sex wild after receiving large shots to the arm in a three part vaccination series! As a recipient of the HPV vaccination when I was in high school, I can tell you, that light throbbing pain in my arm three different times sure didn’t do the trick for me.
So what’s the deal with HPV and the vaccination? HPV stands for the human papillomavirus, and it is a sexually transmitted infection that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer. Since the vaccination program was implemented in October 2008, over 60,000 young girls have received the vaccination through the Virginia Board of Health’s immunization program. The HPV vaccine has an average cost of $360 for the three dose series, while treating cervical cancer is $13,000. Given the high cost of the HPV vaccine, adding it to the list of required immunizations is critical to making the vaccine accessible through coverage by private health insurers and government vaccination programs. For populations that also experience disproportionate rates of poverty, coverage by private health insurers and government vaccination programs is the key to preventing cervical cancer.
So why is this vaccination controversial? HPV vaccine to work best, it is very important for preteens to get all 3 doses (shots) long before any sexual activity with another person begins. It is possible to be infected with HPV the very first time they have sexual contact with another person. Also, the vaccine produces higher antibodies that fight infection when given at this age compared to older ages. What some politicians try to claim is that children are too young to be receiving vaccinations against a sexually transmitted disease. They completely disregard recommendations of higher effectiveness if given at a younger age. The HPV vaccination is recommended for girls as young as nine. If the vaccine is administered at this time, it can prevent nearly 100% of the 4 types of HPV targeted by the vaccine . In addition, opponents make the claim that the vaccination is unsafe; however, according to the Center of Disease Control, “studies have shown the vaccine to be overwhelmingly safe. As of June 2011, about 35 million doses of Gardasil had been distributed in the United States. CDC’s adverse event tracking mechanisms reported about 18,000 adverse events, 92 percent of which were non-serious events, such as fainting, swelling at the injection site and headache” .
HB1112 (Byron-R) wants to take away the right of women and young adults to protect themselves against the threat of cervical cancer. Delegate Byron’s bill has passed the House and is now in our Senate. Please contact your state Senators and urge them to vote NO for this bill! Some legislators are lying to us to keep their own personal agendas on the table, and as citizens who should have equal access to healthcare, we must stick together!
Sources:
Ward E, A Jemal, V Cokkinides, et al. Cancer Disparities by Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 54(2), March/April 2004.
HPV Vaccinations – Questions and Answers (2011). Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection (2010) Sexually Transmitted Disease Guidelines. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tucker, C. (2011). HPV vaccine myths put health, lives at risk, say health leaders.. (cover story). Nation’s Health, 41, 1-18.
In a climate where citizens across the United States are becoming more and more aware of the disparity between representatives acting on the interests of the corporate America and those acting in the interests of the people, many of the bills we see this session attack one of the populations that need help the most, individuals with low income. Even more specifically, women of low income and youth have the most to be afraid of.
What we are seeing this session are bills to take away access to health care and legislation that increases psychological and emotional stress during situations already causing immense internal turmoil. This session, we can see several bills delaying access to safe and affordable care by mandating a 48 hour waiting period (double from what it currently is now) and mandating either a viewing of the ultrasound or hearing the fetal heartbeat be offered prior to receiving abortion services. These bills are disgusting. Not only would an ultrasound cost between $200-$1200 because an ultrasound is not medically necessary to date a pregnancy, but many insurance companies and Medicaid would not have to assist in the payment. Without monetary assistance, many women with low income will no longer have access to a safe and affordable abortion, or be forced to delay this safe, legal medical procedure to schedule time off work, locate childcare, and travel. Even worse, we are seeing bills allowing insurance companies to create coverage plans that do not include abortion services and bills that get rid of government funding for abortions in cases of severe physical and mental fetal abnormalities. Again, this is just a low-blow attack on women of low income.
But the attack is not just on women of low income; it is also an attack on youth. There is also a bill that gives rights and protections to embryonic tissue mass from the moment of conception on. As nice in theory as that may sound, what that does is endanger our access to several forms of birth control, such as IUDs, emergency contraception, and certain hormonal birth control pills. The General Assembly is not acting like they represent the many; it is acting like it represents the few, and the few with enough money to not have to care what their government is doing. First our women’s health clinics with abortion services are attacked; now the only thing left is US.
Hi there Planned Parenthood Advocates of VA! My name is Vicki, and I am the new advocate intern and the eyes and ears of your blog voices and opinions for our wonderful office. This spring, I will be tracking legislation that affects women’s rights in our state, women’s access to reproductive healthcare, and affects the treatment and services we provide to men and women as one of the leading public health clinics in the nation. What our government does on any level is something that we all need to start paying more attention to, for the sake of our access to affordable and safe healthcare!
As for me personally, I am an undergraduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University studying Social Work and Political Science with a concentration in civil and human rights. I have also been an intern and lead mentor down at a local high school for the past three years, working in a literary and art magazine afterschool program. The experiences I have made in the years I have been in Richmond have only made my passion and courage to fight for what I believe in stronger. I believe in equality for everyone, regardless of race, age, gender, ability status, monetary status, sexual orientation, gender identification, or religion, and I believe that there is not just one “American Dream” out there. Diversity and difference is not a bad thing; to be openly appreciated and accepted for who YOU are is the world I seek to help build. This year’s legislation severely attacks several groups of people, some of the worst being attacks on women of low income seeking healthcare. I hope that you all follow these blogs, comment, and start conversations with others. Walking the walk is hard to do without also talking the talk!
How many times do we have to say it? TRAP laws DO NOT benefit women’s health.
On September 15, 2011 the Board of Health (under pressure from the anti-choice Attorney General’s office) voted to approve regulations drafted by the Virginia Department of Health. Presented as a way to promote patient “safety” and “health,” these regulations will only serve to further limit patient access to first-trimester abortion care, as well as an array of services such as life-saving cancer screenings and access to birth control.
Under the new regulations, women’s health centers must come into compliance with three chapters of the 2010 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities within two years. This means unnecessary and expensive construction, leaving women’s health centers closed for an extended period of time or, in some cases, closed for good due to cost. A staggering 86% of Virginia’s counties lack any abortion providers, so is hard enough for women to get access to abortion care. These building requirements that have no proven medical benefit will further reduce or eliminate that access.
We take comfort in knowing that our personal information is kept safe and confidential when going to a health clinic. However under the new regulations, the Department of Health now has the right to request all ownership information, such as security plans, without any requirement that these be kept confidential. This is a breech of trust and an absolute health risk, as abortion providers are often the targets of violence by anti-abortion extremists.
Patients are also targeted for harassment outside of health centers and there is a history of anti-choice activists attempting to obtain patient information to deter these women from receiving vital health care, so it is paramount that their information be kept safe. Now, though, Department of Health employees are allowed to request a surprise inspection of women’s health centers, disregarding whether the business is open that day or whether it is within normal business hours. This regulation requires women’s health center staff to appear within one hour and, once inside, the Department of Health employee has access to and will review patient records and may obtain a list of current patients. There is no mention of a confidentiality agreement during this inspection. It is a violation of our privacy as women who simply seek legal, safe, and affordable health care.
As you can see, the politically motivated regulations adopted by the Board of Health will put women’s health and safety at RISK. Board member James Edmonson must be applauded for standing up for women’s health by offering 17 amendments to protect the privacy, safety, and access to abortion care for Virginia women. The regulations are now headed to Governor Bob McDonnell’s office and pro-health activists are being mobilized around the state to speak out against the ridiculous restrictions brought on by TRAP.
Join us in Richmond on October 15 for the Rally for Women’s Health. The message is simple:
“The war on women ends NOW.” Buses will be arranged from several regions and you will receive all the training and materials you will need. It is important to show the governor that we are sick of being undermined and that we are ready to fight for our right to choose.
Register for the rally here: http://www.coalitionforwomenshealth.org/events/rally.shtml
As part of the health reform law passed by Congress last spring, new health insurance plans will be required to fully cover women’s preventive health care services with no co-pays. While the law does explicitly cover mammograms and pap smears as services that would now be provided to patients without out-of-pocket fees, birth control was not included in this initial list. It is now up to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to define the full list of services which will be covered under women’s preventive care.
Just a few days ago, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released their consensus report that reveals what critical gaps they found in preventive services as well as measures that will further ensure women’s health and well-being. The IOM provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policy makers, health professionals as well as the public. These experts recommended eight preventive health services for women be added to the services that health plans will cover at no cost to patients under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). Guess what? Birth control is one of them!
This is such an important step in the right direction for women’s health because the cost of birth control is a major barrier to many women seeking to prevent unintended pregnancy. Not only that, but it has many other health benefits, including reduced risk of: osteoporosis, ovarian cysts, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease as well as endometrial and ovarian cancers. Not to mention half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended and women with unintended pregnancies are more likely to have little or no prenatal care.
The eight services the IOM identified are truly necessary to the health and well-being of women. Unlike the TRAP laws (which were said to benefit the “health and safety” of women but in fact were medically irrelevant) the IOM’s recommendations are integral to supporting optimal health for women. Women need more preventive care than men because of reproductive and gender-specific conditions. It makes sense that women should be relieved of the financial punishment that has been brought upon them simply because of their sex.
The IOM’s report suggests the following services:
1) Screening for gestational diabetes
2) HPV testing as part of cervical cancer screening for women over 30
3) Counseling on STIs
4) Counseling and screening for HIV
5) Contraceptive methods and counseling to prevent unintended pregnancies
6) Lactation counseling and equipment to promote breast-feeding
7) Screening and counseling to direct and prevent interpersonal and domestic violence
8.) Yearly well-women preventive care visits to obtain recommended services
As mentioned before, it is up to the HHS to decide whether to heed the recommendations and add them into the health care reform. It is possible they will come to a decision as early as August. As you would expect, the issue of birth control coverage will be met with a certain level of opposition from anti-choice and religious groups such as the Virginia Catholic Conference. The VCC believes that contraception is a violation of “conscience rights” and claim contraception poses serious health risks. While birth control may not be something they agree with religiously, I hope people will see the big picture of the future of women’s health. Also, no one will be forced to use any of the IOM’s eight suggestions. They are there for those who want to take advantage of the services; just because you may have dental insurance doesn’t mean you absolutely must go to the dentist (even though it is for your own benefit).
The release of the consensus report is a ray of hope after the past few months of struggle. Clinics are being shut down and Planned Parenthoods around the US are being defunded. Legislators are muddying the lines of what “women’s health” really means. So, doesn’t it feel good to have credible experts stand up for you and what you have been fighting for?
For years anti-choice legislators in the General Assembly have tried to restrict Virginia women’s access to abortion via targeted regulations for abortion providers. They have tried and failed, up until now. February marked the end of the 2011 legislative session and after months of fighting against attacks on women’s health and reproductive freedom we were appalled when anti-choice lawmakers successfully implemented a last minute sneak attack on abortion providers and the women that rely on them. The attack was an amendment to SB924 – a bill that would force any facility that provided more than five first-trimester abortions a month to be redefined as a “hospital.”
Proponents of the TRAP amendment (to a bill that previously had nothing to do with abortion) assured that these regulations were, in fact, beneficial to women. They painted a picture that clinics that provide first-trimester abortions are currently unregulated and unsafe when in reality first-trimester abortion providers already adhere to regulations from the Board of Health and the Board of Medicine as well as other licensing and regulatory bodies. The truth is, first-trimester abortions are one of the safest out patient procedures – even safer than cosmetic surgery or a colonoscopy. But where are the targeted regulations to colonoscopy providers?
The changes that would be implemented by TRAP include building regulations such as the width of hallways and elevators. Clinics that do not adhere to the regulations must undergo expensive renovations which would, in some cases, simply shut the facility down. The changes TRAP would implement on clinics are completely unnecessary and do not deal with the delivery of safe first-trimester abortions in any way. This is just a way for anti-choice legislators to make access to abortion all the more difficult.
What will happen if TRAP laws are enacted? 17 of Virginia’s 21 facilities that provide abortion will be forced to shut down due to the expense of unnecessary renovations. Even the four Planned Parenthoods in the state are not safe. While Planned Parenthood facilities already adhere to a lot of the building code suggested by TRAP laws, the bill is extremely broad and detailed. The reality is Planned Parenthood could essentially be shut down because of the size of the parking lot or even the temperature of the water, depending on how far proponents of the bill go.
In a perfect world, there would be no need for abortion. But we live in a world where access to a woman’s full rage of reproductive health is being stripped away more and more each day. We live in a world that continues to teach our children abstinence-only sex education, which is a proven failure. Clinics such as Planned Parenthood not only provide abortion, but also annual exams, STI testing and treatment, cervical cancer screenings and birth control, to name a few. These clinics are also a safe haven for women to educate themselves on their reproductive health. Shutting down clinics will not stop abortions. This will only lead to women seeking alternative, and tremendously unsafe, solutions such as “back alley” abortions.
What is really scary is that we are running out of time. The new law requires that these regulations be put into action on an emergency basis. That means the Board of Health has very little time to consider comments from the general public, medical professionals and public health officials. The law, which Governor Bob McDonnell has said he will sign, gives the state Board of Health 280 days from the law’s enactment on July 1 to implement the regulations. The draft regulations will be proposed on September 1st and the public will have only TWO WEEKS to provide comments to the Board prior to, and only TWENTY MINUTES for comments during the hearing at which the Board votes on the regulation. The draft regulations voted on by the Board will go to the Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of Health for executive review. There is no period for public comment after the executive review. Moreover, the Board will not have the opportunity to vote on any changes made during the executive review before the regulations are implemented on or before January 1, 2012.
So what can you do to get involved? Write a letter to the editor or send an op-ed into your local newspaper, write a letter to the members of the Board of Health and the Commissioner’s office, visit the Department of Health offices to lobby against TRAP, testify in person to the Board of Health on September 15 or to the Health Commissioner’s Minority Health Advisory Committee on July 12. Volunteer with your local Planned Parenthood or independent clinic to help out in any way you can. Stay informed, stay involved.
Lawmakers across the country are taking steps to send women back to a time of back alley abortions and neglected reproductive health care. Anti-choice groups such as Right to Life are pushing for legislation that does not take the health and welfare of the woman into account. The anti-choice groups claim they simply want to “stop abortion”. In a perfect world, abortions would be unnecessary and everyone would have the tools and information they need to plan when and if to have children. However, this is not the case so all banning abortion without exceptions will result in dangerous and illegal procedures.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, about 570 bills to restrict abortions have been introduced in 48 states. In Texas, women will now be required to have an ultrasound 24 hours before terminating a pregnancy and doctors must give a verbal description of the fetus. Similar laws have been passed in five other states this year alone. In South Dakota, a new law requires women to undergo a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion. Last year, Nebraska became the first state to pass a 20-week abortion ban and more than a dozen states are currently debating similar bills.
Most recently, Indiana passed a far-reaching piece of legislation that enacts a 20-week abortion ban and will block $3 million in federal funding to Planned Parenthood health centers. This means patients will not be able to use Medicaid to pay for services and, potentially, 13 of the 28 clinics statewide could shut down. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt denied Planned Parenthood’s request for relief in a lawsuit filed at the U.S. court in Indianapolis after Republican Governor Mitch Daniels signed the measure into law two days ago. Planned Parenthood officials in Indiana urged Daniels to veto the bill and said they would go to court to challenge the defunding.
Egregious anti-women’s health legislation is in direct violation of Roe v. Wade on the state level. It will end up in the Supreme Court and then we will find out if Roe v. Wade is still the law of the land or if abortion will be made unobtainable. Women have a right to safe and legal medical procedures. Laws that restrict abortion are dangerous and misguided. Help out in any way you can by volunteering at a local clinic or writing letters to the editor and stay up to date on anti-choice legislation.
On Wednesday, May 4, the House of Representatives voted and passed the new version of H.R.3, Rep. Chris Smith’s “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion” bill, which would impose an extra tax on millions of women seeking an abortion even when their health is at risk. Under current law, abortion receives no federal funding except in limited cases of rape, incest, and endangering the life of a pregnant woman. Rep. Smith introduced this bill earlier in the year (it was the third piece of legislation introduced in the new Congress; so much for job creation!) and it gained recognition for attempting to redefine rape to mean “forcible rape.” In other words, a Medicaid patient who is a victim of statutory rape would not be eligible. This version did not pass, but H.R. 3 has reared its ugly head again and has come back full force – going beyond any other proposed law to take private health care coverage away from women.
The majority of private health insurance plans (87%) include abortion coverage. This is a very common comprehensive plan that many businesses offer their employees. H.R. 3 will raise taxes on small businesses and millions of men, women, and families because the private health insurance they choose covers abortion, whether they use it or not. Small businesses are forced to make the decision to either go with a less comprehensive plan or pay the extra tax, which is ridiculous in the current economic climate. Those who have paid for private insurance plans are being told by Congress how they can use their own money that they set aside for emergencies (which is what insurance is for – emergencies). Just as no one plans to get sick or break a bone, no one plans to have an abortion, yet sometimes life circumstances make abortion a necessary medical option.
The Smith bill revives the Stupak/Pitts Amendment (defeated last year), which would force health plans to drop comprehensive coverage. This cuts off millions of women from the benefits the have today. The whole point of health care reform was to extend benefits to people who needed them, not take away benefits women already had. The Smith bill goes beyond the Stupak abortion ban because it would take existing protections away from women with life-threatening pregnancies, and it would raise taxes on those who have comprehensive health insurance which includes abortion coverage.
Should the bill pass in the Senate, the White House Administration has threatened to veto the egregious bill because it “intrudes on women’s reproductive freedom and access to health care… H.R. 3 goes well beyond these safeguards [federal funding allowed for abortions when the woman’s life is in danger, in cases of rape, incest] by interfering with consumers private health care choices.” This, however, is no guarantee. We must continue take a stand and urge the Senate to vote NO on the Smith bill and other outrageous attempts to undermine women’s access to comprehensive private health insurance coverage. Call Sen. Warner and Sen. Webb NOW and tell them to reject this attack on women’s health!
Sen. Mark Warner’s D.C. office: (202) 224-2023
Sen. Jim Webb’s D.C. office: (202) 224-4024
Governor Bob McDonnell is out for blood. He claims he is “protecting” women’s health and safety but what he is really doing is stripping away our options. The governor amended HB2434 so that Virginia healthcare insurance exchanges cannot offer coverage for abortions — and it actually passed in both the State House and Senate. This amendment also keeps women from purchasing optional riders that would cover abortion for those who want to pay for it separately outside their health plans. Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple said it best: “Since when are we telling people they cannot spend their own money on something private insurance companies offer? This goes farther than we’ve ever gone before.”
According to the Guttmacher Institute, more than 80% of private insurance plans now provide abortion coverage.” So what’s going on, Virginia? Why won’t our lawmakers get on the bandwagon? The government is prohibiting insurance coverage for a LEGAL medical procedure, which affects such a wide range of Virginia women. Our government officials are on a crusade to make it nearly impossible for women to make our own conscious and private decisions. Health insurance exists to protect ourselves for the unexpected. No one plans to have an abortion, but every woman has the right to make her own choice regarding her reproductive health.
McDonnell also added an amendment to reinsert abstinence-only funding in the Virginia budget. This funding was included in the House budget, but left out of the final budget, which the General Assembly approved and sent to the governor. Anti-choice Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling cast a tie-breaking vote in favor of McDonnell’s amendment, which would allocate $380,000 for an abstinence-only sex education fund.
In February, legislators voted to make Virginia the first state to require clinics that provide first-trimester abortions to comply with hospital-level restrictions. Mind you, these restrictions are not forced upon other doctors performing similar outpatient procedures such as Lasik eye surgery or oral surgery. The changes that will have to be made to many providers’ offices and procedures are costly and medically unnecessary, making it difficult for abortion providers to offer vital reproductive health services to women in Virginia. In this instance, Lt. Gov. Bolling also cast the tie-breaking vote.
Virginia lawmakers are doing everything in their power to limit women’s access to comprehensive medically accurate sex education and access to the full range of safe, legal reproductive care. It’s an all-out war on women’s health and it’s time for us to fight back!