Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Calif. Lawmakers Earn High Marks From Planned Parenthood For Reproductive Rights Policy Positions
Almost two-thirds of all legislators in California earned the highest possible marks for their support of reproductive rights issues, according to an annual review of legislative policy released last week by Planned Parenthood. (Gorn, 11/16)
An inspector from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will arrive at the Planned Parenthood clinic here Dec. 1 to revoke its state license to perform abortions — leaving Missouri with only one abortion clinic. Planned Parenthood officials hope that visit never happens. Fueling that optimism were the resignations last week of the University of Missouri’s system president and Columbia chancellor after weeks of protests roiled the campus. (Hancock, 11/16)
Most of a $3.5 million no-bid contract that Republican Gov. Mike Pence awarded to an anti-abortion nonprofit organization that pushes abstinence as the only method of birth control will be spent providing services to pregnant women who choose not to have an abortion. Pennsylvania-based Real Alternatives will essentially act as a middleman, signing up service providers around the state to "enable pregnant women in Indiana to maintain pregnancy and achieve positive healthy pregnancy outcomes through provision of pregnancy support services and referrals to care." (11/16)