On July 8th, 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order to put some protections in place following the decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Roe v. Wade had protected women’s reproductive health care decisions for nearly 50 years. The Executive Order recognized the impact this decision will have on an individual’s “privacy, autonomy, freedom, and equality”.
It also recognized the disproportional effect on “women of color, low-income women, and rural women”.
This Executive Order covers five topic areas with specific actions under each category.
This list captures a brief description of what is addressed in this Executive Order:
Safeguarding Access to Reproductive Health Care
- Protect Access to Medication Abortion
- Ensure Emergency Medical Care
- Protect Access to Contraception
- Launch Outreach and Public Education Efforts
- Convene Volunteer Lawyers
Protecting Patient Privacy and Access to Accurate Information
- Protect Consumers from Privacy Violations and Fraudulent and Deceptive Practices
- Protect Sensitive Health Information
Promoting Safety and Security
- Protect Patients, Providers, and Clinics
Coordinating Implementation Efforts
- Establish an Interagency Task Force
Executive Order Builds on Administration’s Actions to Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care
- Supporting Providers and Clinics
- Promoting Access to Accurate Information
- Providing Leave for Federal Workers Traveling for Medical Care
- Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Services For Service members, DoD Civilians, and Military Families
This Executive order notes that there may be future Executive Orders established, and you can stay up to date on information regarding your right to access reproductive health care by visiting https://reproductiverights.gov/.
