Weber Shandwick’s Post

Thirty years ago, the mothers of the #ReproductiveJustice (RJ) movement took out a full page ad in the Washington Post and Roll Call to publish their letter to Congress, “Black Women on #HealthCareReform.” Criticizing the Clintoncare health care reform proposal, they demanded universal, comprehensive, and affordable health coverage and access with robust nondiscrimination protections for all. They expressed the urgent need for equitable access to all health services, including diagnostic, treatment, preventive, long-term care, mental health services, prescription drugs, and care for people with pre-existing conditions. They would “not endorse a health care reform system that does not cover the full range of reproductive services for all women—including abortion.” They emphasized that the U.S. would not achieve these goals until Black women had meaningful representation in national, state, and local planning, review, and decision-making bodies. Nearly 850 Black women signed on. While some progress has been made to advance RJ in health care since 1994, significant challenges remain. And of course, the last several years have been marked by backsliding in the fight for RJ in health care. In 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States ushered in another setback when it overturned the constitutional right to abortion in #Dobbs. While that right was never enough to ensure access, especially for underrecognized and low-income communities due to barriers such as the Hyde Amendment and coverage gaps for immigrants and people in non-expansion states, Dobbs has made things much worse. Gender-affirming care and vital preventive services such as PreP for HIV and contraceptives are also facing intensified attacks. In honor of the RJ movement’s 30th anniversary, the Medicaid and Reproductive Justice Collaborative (comprised of Advocates for Youth, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), National Health Law Program, and URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity is excited to introduce our “Reproductive Justice Principles for Federal Universal Health Care Reform” for policymakers and advocates and accompanying “Values” document (available in 9 languages) for the public. Principles: https://lnkd.in/ecCf6YX9 Values: https://lnkd.in/e3c2VXeQ The Principles were co-authored by Rolonda Donelson, former NHeLP fellow; Chelsea-Infinity Gonzalez, fmr Law and Policy Analyst @ AFY; and me. Rolonda solo authored the Values. Salen Andrews, Tuyet Duong, Hope Jackson, and Camille Kidd were critical co-visioners and partners in this effort. We thank Ann Marie Benitez, Bridgette Jackson, Connie Choi, Fabiola De Liban- Carrion, Jennifer Lav, Virginia Lucy, and Daniela Ochoa Diaz, for their feedback.

On April 22, 2024, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a Final Rule titled "HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy." Margaret Levi, a member of the firm's Healthcare service team, discusses this rule and its implications. To read the full article, click the link below.

In honor of the RJ movement’s 30th anniversary, the Medicaid and Reproductive Justice Collaborative (comprised of Advocates for Youth, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), the National Health Law Program, and URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity) is excited to introduce our “Reproductive Justice Principles for Federal Universal Health Care Reform” for policymakers and advocates: https://lnkd.in/eVvRFQra About this anniversary: Thirty years ago, the mothers of the reproductive justice (RJ) movement took out a full page ad in the Washington Post and Roll Call to publish their letter to Congress, “Black Women on Health Care Reform.” Criticizing the Clintoncare health care reform proposal, they demanded universal, comprehensive, and affordable health coverage and access with robust nondiscrimination protections for all. They expressed the urgent need for equitable access to all health services, including diagnostic, treatment, preventive, long-term care, mental health services, prescription drugs, and care for people with pre-existing conditions. They would “not endorse a health care reform system that does not cover the full range of reproductive services for all women—including abortion.” They emphasized that the U.S. would not achieve these goals until Black women had meaningful representation in national, state, and local planning, review, and decision-making bodies. Nearly 850 Black women signed on. While some progress has been made to advance RJ in health care since 1994, significant challenges remain. The last several years have marked backsliding in the fight for RJ in health care. In 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States ushered in another setback when it overturned the constitutional right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. While that right was never enough to ensure access, especially for underrecognized and low-income communities due to barriers such as the Hyde Amendment and coverage gaps for immigrants and people in non-expansion states, Dobbs has made things much worse. Gender-affirming care and vital preventive services such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) for HIV and contraceptives are also facing intensified attacks.

Deemed necessary by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization and its aftermath of state-level abortion laws, HHS has issued a HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy (the “2024 Privacy Rule”). The 2024 Privacy Rule amends the HIPAA privacy rule to afford greater protection to protected health information that is related to reproductive health care, with the goal of maintaining the necessary trust between patient and #healthcare provider. Learn more here: https://loom.ly/zVZ_Xx4 #PHI #hipaaprivacyrule #2024privacyrule #hipaa #hipaaprivacychange #caleg

The flow of electronic health information across state lines in a post-Roe v. Wade era can present challenges when abortion-related data is accessible in states with bans or severe restrictions. To protect reproductive health care information in California, the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 352 into law in late 2023, safeguarding how this information is to be shared and maintained.  C4BH recently hosted a workshop focused on AB 352 to uncover current initiatives, technical challenges, and strategies for implementation. An analysis is now available with considerations for further state action, developing #EHR capabilities, and emerging practices for good faith efforts to secure reproductive health care information in California. 👇

In honor of the RJ movement’s 30th anniversary, the Medicaid and Reproductive Justice Collaborative (comprised of Advocates for Youth, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), the National Health Law Program, and URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity) is excited to introduce the accompanying “Reproductive Justice Values for Federal Universal Health Care Reform” for the public, translated into 9 languages: https://lnkd.in/evxWrr9g About this anniversary: Thirty years ago, the mothers of the reproductive justice (RJ) movement took out a full page ad in the Washington Post and Roll Call to publish their letter to Congress, “Black Women on Health Care Reform.” Criticizing the Clintoncare health care reform proposal, they demanded universal, comprehensive, and affordable health coverage and access with robust nondiscrimination protections for all. They expressed the urgent need for equitable access to all health services, including diagnostic, treatment, preventive, long-term care, mental health services, prescription drugs, and care for people with pre-existing conditions. They would “not endorse a health care reform system that does not cover the full range of reproductive services for all women—including abortion.” They emphasized that the U.S. would not achieve these goals until Black women had meaningful representation in national, state, and local planning, review, and decision-making bodies. Nearly 850 Black women signed on. While some progress has been made to advance RJ in health care since 1994, significant challenges remain. The last several years have marked backsliding in the fight for RJ in health care. In 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States ushered in another setback when it overturned the constitutional right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. While that right was never enough to ensure access, especially for underrecognized and low-income communities due to barriers such as the Hyde Amendment and coverage gaps for immigrants and people in non-expansion states, Dobbs has made things much worse. Gender-affirming care and vital preventive services such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) for HIV and contraceptives are also facing intensified attacks.

📢 Use The Social Media Toolkit below about the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Enhance Reproductive Health Care Privacy! On April 22, 2024, the HHS Office for Civil Rights issued a pivotal update to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy Final Rule. This significant rule enhancement responds to pressing community needs to safeguard patient privacy and prevent the misuse of medical records in reproductive health care provision. Key Highlights: 📣 The rule fortifies privacy protections, particularly prohibiting the sharing of reproductive health information without explicit consent under specific conditions (lawful access). 📣 This adjustment is crucial amidst a shifting legal landscape following the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, which has increased state-restrictive reproductive health laws. The rule's introduction aims to restore and protect patients' trust in their health care providers and ensure that individuals can seek and receive care without fear of undue exposure or legal repercussions. Leverage the toolkit to spread the word, educate, and ensure access to high-quality information regarding these protections. Let's uphold the right to privacy and ensure every individual can access necessary reproductive health care without fear. 🛡️ #populationhealth #reproductivehealth #privacy #HHSOCR

Great news for improved access to family planning services! Advocates hear all the time about the types of issues described in this new CMS guidance -- "reports that plans and issuers continue to impose widespread barriers to contraceptive coverage, causing individuals to experience difficulty accessing the coverage without cost sharing that they are entitled to..." Colorado worked to secure access to all forms of FDA-approved contraception in state-regulated plans via SB21-016 (https://lnkd.in/g-2PPX_M) and it's a great step forward to see this expansion being recommended for people in all types of coverage. #familyplanning #reproductivehealth

The reproductive care landscape is evolving with recent legal shifts. Emphasizing access is vital, yet understanding the broader impacts is equally crucial. Dive into this article for insights on the necessity of a reproductive justice framework: https://lnkd.in/eNtzcqHv

The Office for Civil Rights finalized a HIPPA Privacy Rule amendment to enhance patient confidentiality, particularly in reproductive health services. Jill Steinberg, Gayland Hethcoat, and Moyo Koya discuss components of the ruling and key takeaways. #HealthCare #ReproductiveHealthCare #HIPAA #OCR