Rep. Jennifer McClellan Joins Democrats to Introduce Bill Shielding Reproductive Health Records from Law Enforcement
Office of Rep. Jennifer McClellanRep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va. ) joined Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif. ) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)onMonday to introducelegislationaimed at strengtheningprivacyprotections for. . .
Office of Rep. Jennifer McClellanRep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va. ) joined Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif. ) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)onMonday to introducelegislationaimed at strengtheningprivacyprotections for patients seeking reproductivehealthcare. The SecureAccessfor Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act would prohibit health care providers and other entities covered under theHealth InsurancePortability andAccountabilityAct (HIPAA) from disclosingpersonal healthinformationrelated topregnancyterminationor pregnancylosswithout a patient’s authorization. Supporterssay the legislation responds to growingconcernsthatmedical recordshave been used to investigate and prosecutepeoplefollowing the Supreme Court’s2022decisionoverturningRoe v. Wade. Since then, severalstateshave pursuedcriminal casesinvolving pregnancy outcomes, with advocates arguing that health care providers have, in someinstances, shared patient information withlaw enforcement. McClellan, who chairs theAbortionRights and Access Task Force in the ReproductiveFreedomCaucus, said thebillis intended toprotectpatients fromgovernmentintrusionintoprivatemedicaldecisions. “Patients deserve privacy when it comes to theirreproductive health,” McClellan said. “This bill represents an importantfirststep in ensuring patients have the guarantee of privacy when making reproductive health decisions. ”Jacobs said medicalrecordsshould never becomeevidencein criminalinvestigationsinvolvingreproductive care. “The SAFER Health Act would guarantee that when someone seeks care for an abortion,miscarriage, orpregnancy loss, that information stays between the patient anddoctor,” she said. Hirono said the legislation is needed as states continue to restrict abortion access following theDobbsdecision. The legislation would apply to federal, state, local, and Tribal civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. It would also direct the Department of Health and HumanServicestoupdateHIPAAregulationsto implement thenewprotections and launch anationwideeducationcampaignto inform health care providers and theirbusinessassociates of thechanges. The bill has drawnsupportfromreproductive rightsorganizations andlegal experts, including theNationalPartnershipforWomenandFamilies,PlannedParenthoodFederation ofAmerica, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Guttmacher Institute, Physicians for Reproductive Health, the National Network of AbortionFunds, the National Council ofJewishWomen, and Power to Decide. Advocates say the measure wouldrestoreconfidencethat patients can seek reproductive health care withoutfearthat their private medical information could later be used against them. Xara AzizXara Aziz is a writer and researcher covering U. S. pop culture and race relations.