FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, April 27, 2023
Contact:
Jocelyn Foye, Executive Director, The Womxn Project
[email protected]
w. 401-400-0061
Abortion Access Bill Clears Big Hurdle Passing Out of the House
As the EACA heads to the Senate, advocates are making it clear that this bill is not just needed, but voters also support it – and they will keep showing up to get it enacted this year!
[Providence, RI] – Statement from The Womxn Project on the passage of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act (EACA), which would include insurance coverage for abortion in the state Medicaid program and associated plans and include coverage in the insurance plan used by state employees out of the House:
“Equal access to health care, including abortion, is fundamental. Right now people who use Medicaid are being left out, creating an unequal system. We are working to change that. Today we took a big step forward as the Rhode Island House of Representatives voted in favor of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act. We are thrilled to see this incredible move forward to help address the gaps in access to abortion care at a time when access is truly under attack,” says Jocelyn Foye, Executive Director of The Womxn Project.
The right to abortion doesn’t truly exist if people seeking care can’t afford to access it. All Rhode Islanders should have affordable health care, including when they need an abortion. That is the call to action of The Womxn Project and many other organizations and today this pursuit of health equity and bodily autonomy had a big victory with passage in the House.
“Research shows that people who are denied access to abortion care are more likely to live in poverty, more likely to experience health complications like eclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage, and more likely to remain with abusive partners. Barriers to health care are rooted in white supremacy and they perpetuate racial and economic inequities. We must do more to ensure people in our state can access the abortion care they need. We are proud that we have built a strong movement to advance the EACA and address this inequity.
This bill is needed. It also has strong support. Voters support the EACA. A poll last fall found that ⅔ of Rhode Islanders want to see this bill enacted. The majority of lawmakers agree with the House passing the EACA today and 21 Senate co-sponsors. More than 40 organizations here in Rhode Island are pushing for passage and more than a dozen national groups have joined us in urging our state leaders to get this done and halt bans on health coverage.
No matter what kind of insurance you use, you should get to control your body and plan your family and future. We are grateful to every House member who voted yes today. As the bill heads to the state Senate, we are urging them to act quickly to pass the EACA. It’s time to make sure every single person in RI has access to abortion coverage — not just the whitest and wealthiest among us. Let’s get this done this year,” concludes Foye.
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Jocelyn Foye is available for interview upon request.