Reproductive Rights Health NOW-NYS

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS & HEALTH CARE

The right to control one's own body is fundamental to the freedom and integrity of every human being.

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Full reproductive rights must be protected for all women regardless of age or ability to pay. In addition, NOW-New York State affirms that adequate health care is a right that must be extended to every citizen.
NOW-New York State Supports:
	Disclosure by insurance companies and HMOs of benefits, services and fiscal arrangements with physicians and all aspects of operation.
	Creation of a universal, single payer health care plan that covers all individuals and guarantees full reproductive health services and long term care.
	Legislation prohibiting the elimination of family planning services in hospital mergers.
	Funding for family planning programs and full legal support for every woman's right to abortion with no limitation on access to family planning services.
	Funding and services for the detection and treatment of breast cancer and cervical cancer for all women regardless of age and economic status until universal health care is available.
	Elimination of mandatory HIV testing including the unblinding testing on newborns which identifies maternal antibody status without the consent of the mother.
	Legislation to maintain the confidentiality of HIV/AIDS status.
	Unintended Pregnancy Prevention Act A-116 which allows trained pharmacists and registered nurses to dispense Emergency Contraception (also known as the "morning after pill") through a non-patient specific order written by a licensed physician, certified nurse practitioner or licensed midwife.
NOW-New York State Opposes:
	Mandatory parental notification or consent for minors' abortions.
	"Legislation designed to criminalize all abortion procedures by banning late-term abortion (so-called "partial birth" abortions).
	Involuntary testing of women for drug and alcohol use during pregnancy via toxicology reports of newborns.
	Legislation designed to grant "personhood" of a fetus (known as fetal rights legislation).
	Legislation mandating a waiting period before an abortion.

More information on the issues of abortion rights, reproductive rights and health care may be found at now.org.

Read: Merle Hoffman Talks Abortion Rights. Hoffman is founder and president of Choices Women's Medical and Mental Health Centers, Publisher and Editor of On the Issues Magazine, founder of the National Abortion Federation, NY Pro-Choice Coalition, author, debator, and activist. She made these remarks at NYU's Law School on Women's Equality Day, August 26, 2006.