HHS secretary outlines plans for reproductive health care after Dobbs decision

Following the Supreme Court's decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the department’s plans for enabling access to reproductive health care at a press conference.

“Friday’s Supreme Court decision was despicable, but it was not unpredictable,” Becerra said. “HHS has been preparing for this for some time. That’s why earlier this year we launched our HHS Reproductive Healthcare Access Task Force to plan for every action necessary to protect women’s access to reproductive health care.”

In addition to the existing task force, Becerra said that the department will work to increase access to medication abortion.

“Federal law requires our programs to provide medication abortion in certain circumstances, such as [if] the life of the woman [is in danger], rape or incest,” he said. “Now more than ever, it is imperative that all federally supported programs and services are compliant with the law.”

Becerra said that the HHS Office of Civil Rights will ensure the privacy of and nondiscrimination against patients seeking reproductive care.

He went on to say that the HHS will evaluate its authority under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act to make sure doctors and hospitals can provide appropriate care to pregnant patients, as well as ensure that all providers have access to training and resources to address all family planning needs.

Becerra added that he is “directing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to take every legally available step to protect family planning care, including emergency contraceptives and long-acting reversible contraceptives.”

The HHS will continue to support the FDA, as well as work with the attorney general and the Department of Justice to prevent states from banning abortion on the basis of safety and efficacy, according to Becerra. The department will also ensure providers are properly informed on medication abortion.

“This is a critical moment in our history,” Becerra said. “How we respond will speak to how we view the rights, the dignity and the well-being of women everywhere. This is a crisis in health care. At HHS ... we will do everything within the legal limit of the law to reach patients and support providers.”

Reference:

• HHS Secretary press conference regarding Supreme Court decision. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DRdr-LBomY. Published June 28, 2022. Accessed June 28, 2022.