By If/When/How
We know from our research—and talking to people who need legal services everyday—that people are scared to seek medical care following an abortion or pregnancy loss because health care workers have wrongfully reported people to law enforcement, criminalizing them for their pregnancy outcome.
That’s why, in response to Roe v. Wade being overturned and pressure from advocates, HHS issued a 2024 rule that prevents health care providers from sharing patients’ lawful reproductive health care information with law enforcement. Because no one should be scared to share their reproductive decisions with their medical providers.
Now, instead of spending their time making sure their communities and patients can access healthcare, several states and one doctor in Texas filed lawsuits trying to undo this rule.
That’s why If/When/How just filed an amicus brief in one of the lawsuits, Purl v. United States Department of Health and Human Services. In this lawsuit, Dr. Purl is asking known anti-abortion judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, to overturn the 2024 rule. Why? Because she wants to report anyone who helps young people access abortions or gender-affirming care for child abuse.
Over 15 other states have also filed lawsuits to undo these necessary protections. And if that isn’t scary enough, Texas also wants to overturn the 2000 HIPAA Rule, which provides basic confidentiality protections for your health care information. If Texas has their way, police and state governments could—at all times—gain access to the private health care information of every American without justification.
To put it more bluntly: these lawsuits are meant to stop people from getting abortions and gender-affirming care. Full stop.
People are already scared to seek medical care if they’ve had an abortion or pregnancy loss even with privacy protections in place. Imagine what could happen if the police had state government approval to search through your private medical information. It’s imperative that we fight these lawsuits to protect our communities.
It’s also imperative that we show up for each other, and let people know that there are resources to support them.