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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump administration rescinds policy protecting emergency room abortions
The Trump administration has rescinded a Biden-era policy that protected emergency room abortions, stripping away a critical legal shield for doctors and pregnant women who live in states that ban the procedure. Photo by Tetra Images | Getty Images The Trump administration has rescinded a Biden-era policy that protected emergency room abortions, stripping away a critical legal shield for doctors and pregnant women who live in states that ban the procedure. Three years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Many states, including Arizona, responded by passing restrictive laws or outright bans. While Arizonans last year voted to enshrine a fundamental right to abortion in the state Constitution, as many as 13 other states currently outlaw abortion in all cases. Shortly after the fall of Roe v. Wade, efforts to restore the right stalled in Congress, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at former President Joe Biden's direction, circumvented that gridlock by issuing guidance that sought to assuage the fear of criminalization among health care providers and prevent delays in care for women facing pregnancy complications. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In a July 2022 letter, then Secretary Xavier Becerra underscored the responsibility of virtually every hospital — even those in states with abortion bans — to perform an abortion if one is necessary to keep a pregnant patient stable. While the majority of abortions occur in abortion clinics, some are performed in hospitals, when women dealing with immediate pregnancy complications seek help at their local emergency rooms. In 2023, the latest year for which there is data, 33 of 12,705 abortions performed in Arizona occurred in hospitals. In his letter, Becerra wrote that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, which governs how hospitals treat patients dealing with medical emergencies, supersedes state law. Known as EMTALA, the act has long required hospitals that participate in Medicare ensure patients are medically stable before transferring or discharging them. Expanding the act's protections to abortions was a bid to create one last line of defense for women in hostile states who were confronting the life-endangering consequences of abortion bans. One woman in Oklahoma with an unviable pregnancy was told by hospital staff they couldn't help her until she was 'crashing out,' and advised her to wait in the parking lot until that happened. And a Tennessee woman whose local hospital refused to perform an emergency abortion was transported by ambulance six hours away to North Carolina to receive care, where she arrived with dangerously high blood pressure and signs of kidney failure. That legal shield was revoked on Tuesday, with a statement posted to the website of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services saying that the Biden-era interpretation does 'not reflect the policy of this Administration'. EMTALA will still be enforced, according to the update, including for 'emergency medical conditions that place the health of a pregnant woman or her unborn child in serious jeopardy'. The change is the latest move from the administration to solidify its pro-life stance and drop the previous administration's resistance against state-level abortion bans, effectively greenlighting their continued existence. Along with expanding the role of EMTALA, the Justice Department under Biden sued Idaho over its abortion ban, arguing that it was a violation of federal law. In March, however, the Trump administration abandoned that lawsuit. A related lawsuit headed by Idaho's largest healthcare provider is on its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and has successfully won a ruling that prevents Idaho from enforcing its abortion ban in emergency rooms, for now. It's unclear where the justices will land on the conflict when it it goes before the high court; a hearing in the lawsuit brought by the Biden administration showed them split on the issue last year, and the court later dismissed the case as mistakenly granted, leaving in place a previous ruling that froze Idaho's law in medical emergencies, rather than consider the problem. Reproductive rights advocates decried the decision to walk back the Biden guidance as 'callous'. Amy Friedrich-Karnik, the director of federal policy for the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that advocates for abortion access, noted that while federal law still directs doctors to provide stabilizing care for their patients, even if that means an abortion, the elimination of the guidance that clearly spells that out is worrying. 'While this action by the Trump administration does not change the law and providers' obligation to guarantee patients access to abortion care in an emergency, it does tell us everything we need to know about the anti-abortion movement: They would rather let pregnant people suffer life-threatening health consequences than allow them to receive stabilizing abortion care,' she said, in a written statement. Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, a legal group that defended Biden's interpretation of EMTALA in court, said that erasing the guidance would prove dangerous for pregnant women seeking reproductive healthcare in states with abortion bans on the books. 'The Trump administration's decision to withdraw EMTALA guidance guaranteeing pregnant people medical care in emergency situations will sow confusion for providers and endanger the lives and health of pregnant people,' she said, in a written statement. 'Every American deserves the right to access the necessary care in emergency scenarios, including pregnant people, without political interference.' Arizona Democratic leaders, too, lambasted the recission. Gov. Katie Hobbs, who campaigned on protecting abortion access while the state grappled with abortion bans, echoed concerns that removing the guidance would harm women. 'Politicians should not make decisions for women and their doctors,' she wrote, in a post on social media site X, formerly Twitter. 'This cruel and reckless policy will put women's lives at risk.' Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, who has also been a strong advocate of reproductive rights and has mobilized her office to defend against the criminalization of health care providers, added that doctors shouldn't be worried about treating their patients. 'Doctors shouldn't have to guess if they're allowed to save a woman's life,' Mayes wrote, in a post on X. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
WIRED
04-03-2025
- Science
- WIRED
How to See the Total Lunar Eclipse and Blood Moon This Month
Mar 4, 2025 5:00 AM On March 14, skywatchers in the Americas will be able to see the first of 2025's two total lunar eclipses. Illustration: Tetra Images/GETTY IMAGES Astronomy lovers in America will be treated to a great show in this month. In the early morning of March 14, a total lunar eclipse will be visible. During this phenomenon, the moon won't disappear from view but will appear deep red as if it were covered in blood. During a lunar eclipse, Earth blocks the light from the sun that normally illuminates the moon. On the night of March 13 and the early morning of the 14th, the darkest part of Earth's shadow, called the umbra, will cover the moon during its brightest phase. Partial lunar eclipses are relatively common—but those like this that coincide with a full moon are a relative rarity. On average, each region of Earth has the chance to view a total lunar eclipse only once every 2.5 years. A second total lunar eclipse will happen this year on September 7 and will be visible in eastern parts of Africa, across much of Asia, and the western half of Australia. A video from NASA showing the timings for viewing the total lunar eclipse in the US in March 2025. The moon appears red during a lunar eclipse because of how the sun's light interacts with Earth's atmosphere. Visible sunlight appears white, but is actually made up of combination of lights of different colors and frequencies, which can be defracted or scattered depending on how much of the atmosphere they have to travel through. It is for this reason that the sky appears blue when the sun is high in the sky but is often red at sunset, when the sun is low and its light is traveling longer distances through the atmosphere. When sunlight hits Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, light frequencies toward the blue end of the visible spectrum are scattered outward, away from Earth's umbra, but those with longer wavelengths, toward the red part of the spectrum, are bent inward and cast onto the moon. What Time Will the Lunar Eclipse Happen? According to NASA, the eclipse will begin at 8:57 pm Pacific Time. In Mexico, the phenomenon will start at 10:57 pm CDT, in Argentina at 12:57 am (ART) and in Spain at 5:57 am (CET). The advance of Earth's shadow across the moon will be slow. Observers will notice that the satellite will gradually lose illumination in the lead up to the total eclipse, before turning blood red. The totality of the eclipse, or the time when the blood moon appears, is projected to happen at 11:26 pm PDT. The climax will last approximately one hour. Here is a list of the times for the start of totality for other countries in the Americas: Mexico: 1:26 am Colombia: 1:26 am Chile: 3:26 am Argentina: 3:26 am Peru: 1:26 am In Spain, totality will occur at 8:25 am, and so observation may be limited by day breaking. However, before dawn it will be possible to admire the pre-eclipse phases. A map of the visibility of the total lunar eclipse on March 13 and 14. Illustration courtesy of NASA To observe the spectacle, astronomers recommend staying away from large cities with high levels of light pollution. They also recommend going to high places without visual barriers such as buildings or trees. 'Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds,' NASA suggests. This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lawmakers consider permanent funding for helpline for farmers, loggers and fishermen
Farmers and others who work the land and sea have higher suicide rates than those in other professions. (Photo by Steve Smith/Tetra Images via Getty Images) This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know who works in agriculture, forestry or the fishing industry is struggling, call or text 833-897-2474 for help. Help is also available to everyone through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. For more than a year, Oregonians involved in agriculture, forestry and the fishing industry have had a resource to help them when they're in a mental health crisis. The AgriStress helpline, which launched in Oregon in September 2023, is geared toward people in those industries, offering a safe option to those who ordinarily might not seek help. 'The pull-yourself-up-by-your-boot-strings mentality often prevents our community members from seeking help, making resources like the AgriStress helpline vital to breaking that cycle as imperative,' Republican state Rep. Bobby Levy of Echo, a longtime farmer and rancher, said during a recent legislative meeting on a bill to keep the line operating in perpetuity. Senate Bill 779, sponsored by Levy and a fellow Republican rancher, state Sen. Todd Nash of Enterprise, would allocate $2 million to a helpline endowment, the Rural Mental Health Fund, which is housed in the Oregon State University Foundation. The endowment earns 4% interest, enough to keep the line operating as long as it was needed, supporters said. Since its launch, specialists have handled more than 50 calls and texts from farmers, fishermen, loggers and foresters in 28 Oregon counties. Though that might not seem like much, Allison Myers, an OSU extension associate dean and lead supporter of the line, said studies show that every suicide can affect 130 people and can be devastating in small communities. And each call can prevent that from happening. 'Any number of calls is a good number,' Myers said in written testimony. The service is available 24/7, with interpreters available for 160 languages, and every caller receives a follow-up call the next day. That service costs about $78,000 a year, and Oregon currently has the funding to keep it going for about a year and a half. Oregon has long had higher suicide rates than the U.S. average. In its 2024 report, Mental Health America, which ranks states, put Oregon last in terms of the prevalence of mental health issues. The ranking showed the state has improved in access to care — it was ranked sixth — but it can still be difficult for people to get help. Studies show that crisis lines like 988 are effective in helping people feel less depressed, overwhelmed and suicidal. They're also been shown to give people hope. While call takers for 988 and other crisis lines are trained, they don't receive training in the culture, demands and potential stress factors of working in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, as AgriStress specialists are. The livelihoods of professionals in these industries are often affected by outside factors like the weather or commodity prices, and the work can be lonely and grueling. And that can lead to people taking their lives. Oregon Health Authority data shows that people in these industries have the highest suicide rates of any profession. 'This is more than just the legislation,' Levy said during the Early Childhood and Behavioral Health Committee hearing. 'It's a lifeline for the people who feed, clothe and build our state.' The service was developed and launched in 2022 by the AgriSafe Network, a nonprofit that supports health and safety preventive services for farmers and their families. The following year, Oregon signed on with an allocation of $300,000 approved by lawmakers to launch the service in the state. Oregon was the seventh state to use the service, which is now available in 10 states besides Oregon — Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. The bill has the support of more than a dozen industry groups, including the Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Wine Council and the Oregon Association of Nurseries. It's also backed by Weyerhaeuser, the timber company; the Oregon Water Resources Congress; and the Eastern Oregon Counties Association. If approved by the early childhood committee, the bill will move to Ways and Means to compete with other bills that need funding. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
