Shusterman attends Reproductive Health Care Roundtable
Discussion focuses on privacy and EMTALA protections
Rep. Melissa Shusterman October 11, 2024 | 1:40 PM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 11 – State Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, was honored to join officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the governor’s office, Planned Parenthood, Access Matters, state Reps. Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware, and Kristine Howard, D-Chester, for a roundtable discussion.
The goal of the roundtable discussion was to give HHS a better understanding of the status of reproductive health care in the commonwealth with a greater focus on privacy and Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) protections.
In order to provide clarity on reproductive health care, Shusterman created House Bill 2465, which would strengthen Pennsylvania’s laws to ensure that ER doctors are able to provide medically necessary care to their patients no matter what the future brings for EMTALA at the federal level, or in the courts. This bill currently sits in the House Health Committee.
Shusterman is also a prime co-sponsor of legislation that would guarantee privacy protections for reproductive health care. Rep. Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery, introduced a package of bills that would help ensure that the commonwealth is not complicit in other states’ efforts to undermine bodily autonomy.
“The state of reproductive health in our country has been in chaos since the Dobbs v. Jackson decision,” Shusterman said. “Pennsylvania is making it clear that we are going to protect women. We are going to uphold the privacy and safety that every mother should expect before, during and after the birthing process. Every area of reproductive health care is going to receive additional protections. I thank the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for coming to learn about what we are doing here in Pennsylvania and sharing the responses they have seen and heard from other states. This is a much-needed step in the right direction for us to work together in protecting reproductive health care across the United States.”