Thirty Democratic senators led by Washington’s Patty Murray are calling on the Biden administration to use health care privacy laws to protect patients’ reproductive health information, specifically when it comes to abortion.
In the letter sent Tuesday, first shared with The 19th, the senators ask the Biden administration to use the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to prohibit health care providers and personnel from sharing any information about patients’ medical records “without explicit consent.” In particular the senators, want to bar law enforcement or anyone who could use the records in civil or criminal lawsuits related to abortion.
In the months since Roe v. Wade was overturned, many states enforcing abortion bans have added a slew of new punishments for people who provide the procedure — including life in prison, in some cases, and fines of $100,000. Some states also punish those who help people attain an abortion.