Improving health care includes expanding abortion access

Experts detail need to protect women’s right to choose in PA

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    August 13, 2024 | 12:06 PM

ALDAN, Aug. 13 – About one in every four women will need to have an abortion in her lifetime, underscoring the need for safe access to abortion care across Pennsylvania – especially since neighboring states have restricted or placed total bans on this life-saving care and have placed an undue burden on Pennsylvania’s health care options.

The House Majority Policy Committee hosted a hearing on expanding abortion access in Pennsylvania, where it remains safe and legal. The hearing livestream can be found here. Written submitted testimony from the hearing can be found here.

“A right to have an abortion, but no access to an abortion is no right at all,” said Rep. Heather Boyd, who represents portions of Delaware County and hosted the hearing. “Reproductive health care and abortion access needs to be protected in Pennsylvania. We know reproductive health care saves the lives of patients in the 21st century, and the last thing a patient needs is a lawmaker determining what health care is appropriate for others – especially absolute strangers.”

Tuesday’s House Majority Policy hearing featured testimony from Dr. Alhambra Frarey, the chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood Southeastern PA; Chris Castro, the senior attorney at Women’s Law Project; Katrina Lipinsky, an advanced practice midwife at Tower Health; Kelly Nichols, a women’s health nurse practitioner in Newark, Del.; and Roxanne Sutocky, the director of public affairs at the Women’s Center.

“Today’s hearing focused on the problems in limiting the access of reproductive health care to patients across the state,” said Policy Committee Chairman Ryan Bizzarro, who represents portions of Erie County. “The root cause of many of these issues was created when lawmakers forced themselves into an exam room and placed themselves between a patient and a doctor in trying to make a very personal decision.”

The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates of industrialized countries, and experts detailed the fact abortion is a key part of comprehensive health care. It is also one of the safest health care options for patients, with far fewer chances of complications than childbirth, and abortion saves lives of patients.

Yet, even though abortion is safe and legal in Pennsylvania, experts detailed unneeded regulations that slow the ability of women – particularly young women – in receiving abortion access. Parental consent for minors or judicial signoff for an abortion is required in the state, a regulation that assumes that all young people have parents even though no consent or counseling is regulated for minors giving birth to children. Experts noted, abortion is the only medical procedure that is regulated under Pennsylvania law in crime codes – which details that in the past state lawmakers have not viewed abortion as health care.

The hearing also highlighted the fact many members of the public do not understand the specifics of abortion or abortion care. 

Information about this hearing and other House Majority Policy Committee hearings can be found at pahouse.com/policy. Photos to be used for publication can be found at pahouse.com/PolicyCommittee/Galleries.