Abortion

Pennsylvania Clinics That Perform Abortions Will Now Be Labeled As “Outpatient Surgical Facilities”

Only about two thirds of the state's clinics will obtain new licenses, but most will still remain open in some form.

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Pennsylvania’s new licensing law for clinics that perform abortions — a law passed in the wake of the discovery of medical malpractice by Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who performed illegal late abortions in an unregulated clinic — will go into effect today, but almost all of the state’s clinics will remain open nonetheless.

Via WHPtv.com:

Facilities were notified in January of the requirements to apply for licensure and submit any requests for exception. Seventeen facilities submitted exception requests, which the department responded to on a case-by-case, location-by-location basis.  The department expects 14 of the 22 facilities will qualify to perform surgical abortions in Pennsylvania under the new law, pending final approval. Six are pursuing Class A registration, and eight are pursuing Class B licensure. Of the other eight facilities, one voluntarily closed on June 15, two have been placed under a hospital license subject to different regulations, and the rest will only be allowed to perform abortions that use prescribed medication and do not involve surgical procedures.

Despite the costs of renovations and extra equipment required to adhere to the new law, Planned Parenthood, which owns many of the Pennsylvania clinics, said they had no intention of letting the regulations shut them down. “Even in the face of burdensome, medically unnecessary regulations, we will do what it takes to be there for the women counting on us,” the organization told the Associated Press.