Today the Supreme Court of the United States issued their opinion in Kennedy v Braidwood Management Inc. Dr. Jamila Perritt, ob/gyn in Washington DC and President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health responds:
…let us all still hold firm to the fact that health care availability should not be subject to the political whims of a court or of a presidential administration.
“As physicians, we know that preventive health care is critical to maintaining healthy, safe, and secure lives for people and their families. Every person deserves access to care, regardless of their insurance status and this includes access to basic sexual and reproductive health care such as HIV treatment and prevention, screening for STIs, treatment of Hepatitis C, treatment and support for those with substance use disorder, and a variety of cancer screenings. Having access to preventive care can literally mean the difference between life and death for some patients. Despite the Court upholding the panel determining preventive health care coverage, let us all still hold firm to the fact that health care availability should not be subject to the political whims of a court or of a presidential administration.
“Preventive care services are covered by the Affordable Care Act because they are essential to the health and wellbeing of our communities. It helps people be healthy. It helps people to thrive. It supports the agency and autonomy of individuals by ensuring they have access to the care they need to be well. Our patients and our communities deserve access to this care, without shame, stigma, or barriers.”