Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Gulf Of Mexico May Get Floating Abortion Clinic
A California doctor has a plan聽to launch a floating reproductive health clinic in the Gulf of Mexico, where care will be regulated by federal -- not state -- law.聽The plan -- currently in the fundraising stage -- hopes to make surgical abortions, contraception and other reproductive health services available to Gulf Coast patients living in states restricting such services. (Schuetz, 7/9)
[Dr. Meg Autry, an obstetrician and gynecologist and a professor at the University of California San Francisco] said their legal team believes there is a swath of federal water where licensed providers could safely and legally provide abortions out of reach of state laws. For women in southern states with abortion bans, going to the coast and boarding a boat may be closer and easier than trying to travel to a state where abortion remains legal, she said. 鈥淭his is closer and faster access for some people, particularly for working people that live in the southernmost part of these states,鈥 she said. Autry said they are still trying to work out many of the details such as where the boat will launch and how women would get to the ship. (7/10)
On abortion technology and data 鈥
As abortion clinics shutter across the country, providers in states where abortion is still legal are expecting an influx of patients 鈥 and they鈥檙e hoping technology can help them manage the deluge. (Ravindranath, 7/11)
Legal experts note that search history, text messages, location data, and period-tracker apps could all potentially be used in court and in some cases already have been. (Yang and Feiner, 7/9)
Also 鈥
鈥淎t the end of the day, we can't train people to provide abortion care if we can't provide abortion care,鈥 said聽DeShawn Taylor, an obstetrician-gynecologist who is聽the owner and primary provider at Desert Star Family Planning in Phoenix. (Ceron, 7/10)
KHN: Journalists Explain The Effects Of 鈥楧obbs鈥 Decision And New Insurer Price Transparency Rules聽
KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discussed how the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision on abortion affects contraception on NPR/WAMU鈥檚 鈥1A鈥 on July 6. ... KHN senior correspondent Julie Appleby discussed insurer price transparency regulations on NPR鈥檚 鈥淲eekend Edition Saturday鈥 on July 2. (7/9)
鈥淚鈥檇 like to be part of this massive wave that鈥檚 happening now,鈥 Sarah Miller, an abortion provider and family doctor based in Boston, told me. It has long been her personal mission to make vasectomies more accessible and popular, and she sees the current climate as an opportunity. 鈥淲hat did you call me? A 鈥榲asectomy influencer鈥? I like that,鈥 she said. As it happens, she鈥檇 just gotten an email from a graphic designer offering to help her turn vasectomy into a 鈥渕ass movement鈥 and 鈥渁ggressively promote the fact that men should be stepping up and doing this publicly.鈥 (Tiffany, 7/8)