What is the HHS Rule? Why Does It Matter?

You may have received a forwarded email about something called the HHS Rule. The email may have even asked you to sign a petition While confusing, the HHS Rule is something everyone should understand because it has to do with your rights.

Basically, the HHS Rule says that any medical provider that receives aid from the federal government would not refuse to hire someone who is against abortion or even birth control. If providers did refuse to hire someone who objects to abortion because of “religious beliefs or moral convictions”, their federal funds would be cut.

One important part of the HHS Rule has to do with the definition of abortion as “any of the various procedures—including prescription, dispensing, and administration of any drug or the performance of any procedure or any other action—that results in the termination of the life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation.”

As you can see, the definition of abortion in the HHS Rule is so broad that it could include more than what we usually consider abortion. It could instead include birth control, emergency contraception, and IUDs.

What this ultimately means for patients, especially those who are low-income or uninsured, is that they may not have access to the contraceptive services they need because an anti-choice provider considers contraception to be abortion.

Finally, the HHS Rule could potentially harm rape victims who seek emergency contraception to prevent a potential pregnancy. Now these victims have access to EC at every hospital; with the HHS Rule in place, they may be refused access.