December 4, 2018 Press Release

HHS Chief Azar Favors “Choice” in Health Care…Unless You Need Birth Control or an Abortion

Azar to continue catering to right-wing groups with stop at American Enterprise Institute today

12.04.18 – Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar is slated to speak at the conservative American Enterprise Institute today on the importance of “boosting choice” in health care.

Equity Forward issued the following statement in response.

“Alex Azar’s hypocrisy when it comes to women’s access to basic health care knows no bounds,” said Mary Alice Carter, Executive Director of Equity Forward.  “Azar will tout choice in health care today while his department is working overtime to rob women of health insurance coverage for birth control.  If that wasn’t enough, his department is also cooking up new and creative ways to prevent low-income women from going to the health care provider of their choice to get birth control.  

“When it comes to Alex Azar’s HHS, “choice” doesn’t apply to a woman seeking birth control or other reproductive health care services.”

Earlier this month, HHS rolled back insurance coverage for birth control just days before Alex Azar touted the importance of primary care.  Ironically, a few days later the Trump administration claimed that women who have been robbed of their health insurance coverage for birth control can get care at family planning clinics that receive federal funds for low-income people, despite the fact the administration is trying to undercut that program, too.

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