The Weekly Ethical Roundabout
Federal:
Providence Journal: The District Court of Rhode Island (D.R.I.) has granted a temporary restraining order against the Department of Health and Human Services, keeping in place billions in public health funding that the Department attempted to cut. The Department alleges that the grants were issued under COVID-19 and are thus no longer necessary. The judge ruled that the Department violated the Administrative Procedure Act by terminating the funding, and as the action was not in accordance with the law, they are enjoined from implementing the terminations.
Fox News: A District Court in Illinois (N.D. III) has issued a split ruling on the state’s abortion law. The case concerned portions of the Health Care Right of Conscience Act, which provides that patient health will not be impacted by providers who refuse to perform services that are against their conscience. This mandated that providers who objected to the procedure inform their patients of their legal treatment options and the benefits of those treatments, or, if requested by the patient, provide a referral and information. Plaintiffs alleged the law compelled speech in violation of their right to free speech. The Court ruled that the portion of the bill requiring providers to discuss the benefits of abortion is compelled speech and a First Amendment violation, while the portion instructing providers to provide referrals regulates professional conduct.
Calhoun Journal: A bipartisan bill is moving through the Senate that will make telehealth services under Medicare permanently accessible. Senate Bill 1261, the CONNECT for Health Act of 202, will direct the Director of HHS to ensure providers and Medicare beneficiaries can continue to utilize telehealth services and to remove barriers to the use of this technology. The Act specifically identifies existing barriers to be removed, such as geographic limitations and provider authorization eligibility limitations.
State:
Alabama Reflector: The Alabama Legislature has sent a bill to the Governor to provide presumptive Medicaid eligibility to pregnant women. Senate Bill 102 will extend state Medicaid programs to pregnant women who have not been approved for Medicaid coverage but have already applied for benefits.
ABC Memphis: A bill to address the tension between treatments and a medical provider’s belief is headed to the Governor of Tennessee for consideration. House Bill 1044 and Senate Bill 955, the Medical Ethics Defense Act, will prohibit requiring providers from participating in, or paying for, a procedure or treatment that violates their conscience. The law specifies that the bill does not apply to procedures governed by federal law or provider rights to make business decisions consistent with their religious convictions.
Truthout: The Colorado Congress has four bills in process related to high-profile healthcare issues. House Bill 1309 will codify gender care treatments and prohibit health plans from denying or limiting medically necessary care, as well as exempting testosterone from the prescription drug monitoring program. House Bill 1312, the Kelly Loving Act, will allow courts to factor in “deadnaming” and “misgendering” when considering child custody decisions and prohibits Colorado courts from giving any effect to another state’s law authorizing a state agency to remove a child from parental custody because the parent permits the child’s gender care. Senate Bill 183 conforms state law to Amendment 79, a voter-approved amendment repealing the prohibition on public funding for abortions and adding an amendment to recognize the right to abortion. Finally, Senate Bill 129 will authorize prescribers to request their name be omitted from abortifacient prescription bottles and prohibit state residents from responding to out-of-state legal inquiries into legally protected healthcare activities.
Glances Abroad:
Pulse: South Korea has enacted a world-leading law to guide the nation’s burgeoning synthetic biology sector. The Synthetic Biology Promotion Act allows the Ministry of Science to designate institutions as policy development coordinators and foster communication between institutions for data sharing.
The Independent: The United Kingdom’s House of Commons is debating a bill to allow terminally ill adults to request assistance in dying. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will define the parameters for qualifying for assistance in dying and the safeguards to be utilized by patients who request assistance from their providers.
France24: The French Parliament is debating legislation to allow residents to seek assistance in dying. President Macron had initially submitted a unified bill in 2024, but the bill was divided into separate acts covering palliative care and assistance in dying.
Beehive: A bill amending New Zealand’s Medicines Act has passed its first reading and was referred to the Health Committee. The Medicines Amendment Bill will improve patients’ access to medicine through a streamlined drug approval process. The new process will allow new drugs to be utilized in the country if the medication has already been approved by two recognized nations (the EU, Australia, Canada, the USA, the UK, Singapore, and Switzerland).