Sonogram Law passed in Texas

Texas adopted a law in February 2012 that requires women who want to have an abortion must first have a sonogram and hear a physical description of the embryo/fetus. They are also required to hear the heart beat then wait 24 hours before they can have the procedure. This law does not apply to women who have been raped or who have been involved with incest.

Austin District Judge Sam Sparks did his best to overturn the law with a temporary order but it was overturned by the 5^th Circuit Court of appeals. His grounds for the order were that it violated the first amendment rights of physicians and was constitutionally vague.

I have many issues with this law. First, why does the state think it is their right to tell any woman what they want to do with their own bodies or tell doctors who are intelligent, certified and qualified who are there to help women make sound decisions on medical treatment/care. What about women who want to get one because of domestic abuse? There are also families out there that make a very hard decision to end a pregnancy because they learn the child will not make it to full term or will have to live their lives in unbearable pain and wont have a quality life because of it. There are many reasons people decide to get an abortion.

Rick Perry was quoted in the Texas Tribune by saying, “a victory for all who stand in defense of life…ensures that every Texas woman seeking an abortion has the facts about the life she is carrying, and understands the devastating impact of such a life-ending decision.”

Typically, when a woman goes in to have an abortion she is already pretty clear on what she is going in there to do. Forcing doctors to give a description of what the embryo/fetus looks like and turn up the volume so they can hear the fetal heartbeat is disgraceful and unnecessary. This is already traumatic enough of an experience, why humiliate them more with invasive and unnecessary procedures. Then make them wait an additional 24 hours before they can have the procedure done. If the doctor does not comply with this law they will be fined $10,000.

Peter J Durkin, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast showed his disappointment with the ruling when he said, “allows Texas politicians to shame and demean women and tell doctors how to practice medicine…every Texan should be outraged that politicians are interfering with their most private medical decisions.”

I believe there are women out there that may use it as a form of birth control as well, but don’t punish the women who truly do know the risks and have methodically made the decision. The goal should be to limit the number of unwanted pregnancies. This is a whole other issue though. They have made it almost impossible for women to seek medical attention who are either low income or without insurance.

Something needs to be done to overturn this law. It is an outrage!

If you would like to read more about this law please refer to this site:

Judges: Texas Can Enforce Sonogram Law Now

Bring More Medicaid to Texas

By expanding Medicaid it will bring jobs and money to Texas. A blogger, Mary Ann Roser writes that, "With more than $200 million a year at stake, the Travis County Commissioners Court is urging the Legislature to expand Medicaid coverage to more needy people in Texas, the state with the highest rate of uninsured residents." Link to Bringing more money to Texas

There is a bill in place that Gov. Rick Perry states he is opposed to and will veto it, if it makes it through the legislature. As quoted by the deputy press secretary Lucy Nashed, "It would be irresponsible to add more Texans and dump more tax payer dollars into an unsustainable system that is broken and already consumes a quarter of our budget."

Roser reports that Texas legislator Schwertner says that, "Texas needs the flexibility to change Medicaid by focusing more on individual responsibility and possibly offering different kinds of coverage to patients in the system. 'Some recipients may not need a full package.' Schwertner said."

There are concerns about expanding the network of coverage because there may not be enough doctors to care for the onset of new patients.

There are lawmakers who are pushing for the bill because they say that passing this bill will help more than 23.8 percent of Texans who are not currently covered. Garza Cortez states, "It's a life or death situation for our families...We know so many that hold off on medical care because they don't have insurance or they don't have the money...It's so cost effective to do this."

It is stated that by 2016 Travis County alone would bring in $275.8 million to include 85% of eligible adults being covered by a report done from Texas Impact and Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas Inc.

Reports from 2011 say that over 209,348 citizens in Travis County alone are currently uninsured.

I have a few points on this issue that I would like to address. First off, expanding a system that is broken is not going to kill the economy. Why not expand the system and by the time the next Texas legislature meets have other bills in place to change the system to work better for the people and for the money available.

Second, people who are considered in poverty make a mere $15,401 a year and a family of four $31,809, as per the federal government. If this law passes the government will pay 100% for the first three years and then 90% by 2020 and beyond. I don't see how Texas loses money in this situation.

Third, giving people medical insurance will cut down on the unnecessary trips to the emergency room that cost the state billions of dollars a year.

Fourth, an argument that doctor's won't be available for the influx of patients that they are going to receive when and if this bill where to pass. If Texas is is going to receive more money than maybe more doctors will be inclined to join in and start accepting more patients that get Medicaid. Not only that, our hospitals will be able to give the care to the people who really need it and not focus on the people who come in with non-emergency issues.

To read more please click the link below:
Medicaid expansion would bring more than $200 million to Travis County, commissioners say