Does the new law expressly direct the Community Health Centers to provide and pay for abortions?
No. However, the Community Health Centers must provide primary health services, including “health services related to family medicine, internal medicine, … obstetrics, or gynecology that are furnished by physicians,” and “family planning services.” Courts have ruled that this language requires such facilities to provide abortion services unless Congress expressly acts to exclude such services. In this case, Congress failed to expressly exclude coverage for abortion at the Community Health Centers. The absence of the exclusion makes the centers subject to the court decisions mandating abortion services and funding.
