Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Virginia Department of Health
 
Board
State Board of Health
 
chapter
Regulations for Licensure of Abortion Facilities [12 VAC 5 ‑ 412]
Action Regulations for Licensure of Abortion Facilities
Stage Proposed
Comment Period Ended on 3/29/2013
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1/28/13  2:47 pm
Commenter: Donna Joyce

new regulations for women's health centers that provide abortion care
 
Dear VA Board of Health,
 
Thank you for doing your best in a very difficult situation.  I abhor bullying of any kind and I am sorry to see our public servants treated in this manner.  It does not favor the public when this happens.  I unequivocally disagree with the new regulations for women's health centers that provide abortion care.  They seem to serve a political and religious purpose which I do not share and which serves to swipe at my own freedom and at the freedom of all those born with a uterus who reside in Virginia.  Exclusion and disempowering are words that come to mind.  I do not want to believe that any publicly elected or non-elected public servant would wish this on their population but this is definitely the perception and certainly the way it feels.  
 
The regulations threaten the continued availability of safe, legal first-trimester abortion and preventive reproductive health care in multiple locations throughout the state.
 
Extensive, burdensome requirements for clinic buildings that are unrelated to the services health centers provide and have no proven medical benefit will reduce or eliminate patient access to health care.
 
The regulations will increase the financial hurdles to health care for patients, with no proven medical benefit to patients. Women need more access to affordable, high quality health care, not less.
 
If regulations placed on women's health centers are based upon evidence-based medical practices that advance the public health, then women in the Commonwealth will be able to maintain access to vital health care from trusted medical providers.
 
Medically inappropriate and unnecessarily burdensome regulations would restrict access to essential health care services for the women of Virginia and further marginalize young, low-income, uninsured and minority women by decreasing their health care options.
 
The high standard of care provided by women's health centers is proven by their impressive safety record. Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures. Overregulation will limit access to a wide range of preventive reproductive health care services provided by women's health clinics, including life-saving cancer screenings, family planning, and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.
 
It is my hope that the regulations will be amended to be based purely on medicine and science and should not impede women's access to essential health care.
 
Thank you for your consideration and for your continued service to the public of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
Donna Joyce

 

CommentID: 24996