New York’s Staten Island — Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Monday to protect state physicians who administer abortion medicine, only days after a New York doctor was accused of giving abortion pills to a pregnant child in Louisiana.

According to Hochul, the dispensing pharmacy will henceforth print a doctor’s practice name rather than the doctor’s name on prescription labels for drugs used to perform abortions.

“The state of New York will always protect reproductive freedom, and I will never give up on this fight,” Hochul declared. In order to guarantee that New York is a safe refuge for anybody giving or receiving reproductive care, I’m acting to improve protections for medical professionals and their patients. We are reaffirming our commitment to protect access to reproductive health care and to stand up for individuals fighting for their rights at a time when fundamental rights are being attacked nationwide.

Protecting the Privacy of Providers and Strengthening New York s Shield Law

Many states around the country have taken action to restrict access to abortion services since the Supreme Court’s June 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned abortion. According to Hochul, 21 states have passed legislation as of October 2024 that places more limitations than those previously permitted by Roe v. Wade.

Of them, four states forbade abortions after six weeks, when many women might not even be aware that they are pregnant, while thirteen states outright banned the procedure. More than half of women between the ages of 18 and 49 reside in states that limit abortion in some way.

Hochul and the Legislature came to an agreement to improve the protections for abortion. The new measure guarantees that pharmacies support this preventive action, mandates disclosure to the patient, and permits clinicians to request that their practice address be posted instead.

According to the governor, medication abortion has become a vital choice for many women seeking abortions in jurisdictions with restrictive legislation. Hochul signed a telehealth shield statute in 2023 that would give New York-based physicians who use telehealth to treat patients in other states with restrictions broad protection. In addition to providing protection from professional disciplinary actions or unfavorable decisions from medical malpractice insurers, this legislation protects New York health care providers from states that might try to criminally punish them.

Women who might otherwise find it difficult to obtain abortion care might benefit from New York’s shield statute, which permits clinicians to give patients in unfriendly jurisdictions medication used to treat abortions, Hochul said.

One in five abortions performed in December 2023 were via telemedicine, according to research from the Society for Family Planning. The governor’s office estimates that 48% of these procedures were carried out by physicians in states with shield laws, such as New York.

According to State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, this law is a direct response to the increasing assaults on reproductive rights around the country. New York remains steadfast as other states intensify their attempts to make abortion illegal. Extremists opposed to abortion will not be permitted to threaten healthcare professionals or prevent access to care.

Hochul has also implemented additional safeguards to promote the reproductive health of women.

The Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Fund

Hochul established the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Fund in May 2022 to improve access to abortion. In order to guarantee fair access to abortion treatment throughout the state, the fund has aided programs and reproductive health practitioners. Hochul is allocating $25 million for the program this year, with an emphasis on enhancing all New Yorkers’ access to comprehensive reproductive care.

Fairly Reimbursing Providers for Abortion Services

The whole cost of medication abortion care and other abortion services has long been unfunded for reproductive health practitioners. In order to help providers better prepare for the potential effects of the upcoming federal administration and guarantee that they receive just compensation for performing abortions, Hochul will establish a new, flexible funding stream of $20 million.

Strengthening Reproductive Health Care Infrastructure

In order to offer the entire spectrum of comprehensive treatments, many reproductive health care institutions in New York require essential infrastructure upgrades. Hochul stated that she will increase the financing to help providers with capital improvements as a result. In order to help facilities modernize and protect their operations, these funding will support planning, construction, equipment improvements, and renovations.

Safeguarding Abortion as Emergency Medical Care

Regardless of the patient’s financial situation, hospitals are required by the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act to offer stabilization care for patients with urgent medical issues. However, New York law does not specifically classify abortion as emergency medical care. Hochul stated that in order to close this disparity, she will make abortion a protected emergency medical care in New York and mandate that hospitals offer it, thereby promoting access to abortion services when they are medically required.

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