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<\/p>\nThe change reversed a key piece of abortion policy set under the Trump administration.<\/p>\n
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By <\/span>Noah Weiland<\/span><\/p>\n WASHINGTON \u2014 The Biden administration on Monday reversed a contentious policy set under President Donald J. Trump that barred organizations that provide abortion referrals from receiving federal family planning money.<\/p>\n The new rule, set to take effect on Nov. 8, deals with what is known as the Title X family planning program, which is more than a half-century old and subsidizes birth control, cancer screenings and other medical care for millions of low-income patients.<\/p>\n \u201cOur nation\u2019s family planning clinics play a critical role in delivering health care, and today more than ever, we are making clear that access to quality family planning care includes accurate information and referrals \u2014 based on a patient\u2019s needs and direction,\u201d Xavier Becerra, the health and human services secretary, said in a statement.<\/p>\n Dr. Rachel L. Levine, the assistant secretary for health, said the new rule would \u201callow for the Title X service network to expand in size and capacity to provide quality family planning services to more clients.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2019 rule set by the Trump administration aggressively targeted organizations that offer abortions, including Planned Parenthood, and was a top priority of social conservatives during Mr. Trump\u2019s term as president. Regulations surrounding the 1970 Title X law already banned direct funding of abortion, but organizations such as Planned Parenthood have relied on Title X money to subsidize other women\u2019s health services, such as dispensing birth control and providing cancer screenings.<\/p>\n Monday\u2019s reversal comes as the debate over abortion rights has flared up again on Capitol Hill after the Supreme Court refused last month to block a Texas law prohibiting most abortions. With other states rushing to enact similar restrictions, and the court, now dominated by conservatives, preparing to take up a case that could overturn the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, Democrats are making the issue a centerpiece of their campaign strategy for next year\u2019s midterm elections.<\/p>\nSite Index<\/h2>\n
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