The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing a rule barring doctors, hospital and health insurance plans from disclosing if a woman has had a legal abortion to criminal investigators, a move aimed at preempting attempts from GOP state legislatures to restrict out-of-state abortions.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra are set to unveil the proposed rule at a meeting of an administration task force dedicated to protecting abortion rights on Wednesday afternoon.
The proposal, which comes from the HHS civil rights office, would strengthen existing protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPAA. The rule would block attempts to find out information about legal reproductive health care, including abortions, in order to investigate, sue or prosecute an individual.
The idea comes as GOP state legislators plot measures to block residents from traveling out-of-state to seek abortions….
