PPRM’s Statement on June Medical Services V. Russo Decision
The United States Supreme Court handed abortion advocates a victory on June 29 in its decision on June Medical Services v. Russo. With this historical decision, the Supreme Court upheld the precedent set in the 2016 Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt decision.
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in the case, June Medical Services v. Russo, means that doctors in the state who provide abortion care at clinics and medical offices will now also have to admit privileges with a nearby hospital that would allow patients to go to that hospital if they need urgent care.
The following statement is attributed to Vicki Coward, president, and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM).
“This is a critical win for patients across this country. In a time of fast-paced, long-overdue change, the last thing we needed was to put additional obstacles in the way of healthcare access. Today, the Supreme Court’s decision confirms what we’ve always known: reproductive health care is healthcare, and healthcare is a human right.
“At PPRM, we recognize rights are only words unless they are coupled with access. We will continue to work every day to provide the highest quality care no matter what. PPRM is committed to remaining a safe haven for abortion care access to all who need us, whether from our local communities, neighboring states, or those who must travel untold distances to access the healthcare, which is their human right.”
In a virtually identical case, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the Supreme Court reached a decision in 2016 that protected access to care. Today, the Supreme Court sent an important message by respecting precedent and striking down the Louisiana law that would have required doctors to have admitting privileges in nearby hospitals, a thinly veiled TRAP (targeted regulation of abortion provider) law that would have had disastrous impacts on healthcare access for patients, with ripple effects nation-wide.
