Abortion

Refusal Policies

In recent years, anti-choice legislators and advocates have sought to limit abortion care through refusal policies. There are a number of federal and state laws, regulations, and other provisions that allow individuals and/or entities to refuse to provide certain services and to refuse to pay for, counsel for, participate in, or refer for medical services and/or supplies to which they object, often on moral or religious grounds. These provisions - sometimes called "conscience provisions" but more accurately referred to as "refusal clauses" - are often overly broad and improperly ignore the needs and rights of patients to access quality health care and accurate information.

Refusal clauses are often explicitly related to abortion care, but in the past few years these provisions have been expanded in an effort to include other services, including contraception. Refusal clauses are also being applied beyond individual health care providers, allowing companies, other non-clinician employees, and even health insurance plans to assert a moral objection. 

NFPRHA's Work

NFPRHA advocates and educates on the federal level about the harmful effects that refusal policies have on ensuring health care access for all and particularly within the family planning network. On occasion, NFPRHA serves as an amicus curiae, providing expert insight through briefs on how key judicial decisions could impact access to women’s health, the safety net, and vulnerable populations.

Resources

NFPRHA Fact Sheets

For additional resources & information, access NFPRHA fact sheets and federal comments by issue or read NFPRHA's publications and recent press statements.

National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association

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Phone: 202-293-3114  |  info@nfprha.org

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