“The National Health Law Program is disappointed by the inclusion of the Hyde amendment in the 2022 Omnibus appropriations bill that just passed Congress. The Hyde amendment, a bill rider that limits federal funding of abortion to cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment, has functioned as a de facto abortion ban for over 40 years for people who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Indian Health Services, and other programs. These coverage restrictions harm people who already face systemic barriers to accessing care, including people with low incomes, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, people with disabilities, young people, LGTBQ individuals, and other underserved communities.
We note, however, that this appropriations cycle made amazing strides toward ensuring that abortion is affordable for all, as we saw the historic passage of the first U.S. House spending bill without any abortion coverage bans last year. Thanks to decades of work led by women of color and legislative champions who understand that access to reproductive and health care services are essential to a person’s overall health and well-being, we are closer to a world where no one is denied coverage for their abortion simply because they are working to make ends meet.” – Cat Duffy, Policy Analyst
