When it comes to women’s reproductive health, the right to choose what is best for one’s own body is paramount. Recently, UnitedHealth Group has come under fire for supporting Republican-sponsored anti-choice legislation that seeks to restrict access to abortions and penalize providers who perform abortions. The donation of over $53,000 from UnitedHealth Group to key representatives involved in these bills has raised eyebrows and has highlighted the healthcare giant’s agenda.
The two draconian bills proposed, if passed into law, would have required doctors to tell women they could change their minds after taking medication for abortion and would make it a felony punishable by life in prison for providers if a child is born alive following an abortion attempt. Neither proposal is based on science nor do they address any legal issues that weren’t already addressed as infanticide. This clear disregard for sound medical evidence and ethical practices has been met with widespread condemnation from Democrats across the nation.
Longstanding healthcare policies such as Roe v Wade have helped protect women’s right to choose whether or not they want to have an abortion without fear of harsh legal retribution. Such policies are essential pillars of our democracy and must be supported so that all citizens can exercise their rights in accordance with the Constitution. Unfortunately, UnitedHealth Group’s support of these anti-choice bills illustrates a concerning lack of respect for reproductive freedom and puts vulnerable women at tremendous risk if such legislation passes into law.
UnitedHealth Group must immediately cease its donations in support of Republican officials who are attempting to undermine access to safe and legal abortions through such oppressive laws. Women should not be subject to such egregious restrictions on their bodily autonomy; there should instead be an open dialogue about how best to protect reproductive choice while ensuring safety standards are being followed in healthcare settings across the nation. We must remember that healthcare decisions belong solely within the purview of each individual woman and her doctor – no outside entity should interfere with this sacred agreement between two consenting parties.
