Politics Moves into Health Care

One of the primary avenues by which politics is affecting health care is abortion access. In the U.S., the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 led to a flurry of activity at the state level to either enshrine abortion rights or ban it to varying degrees, with around half of the states now restricting access to abortion. When the issue is put to a vote, however, the right to an abortion often passes.

Following the Dobbs decision, states with abortion bans saw increases in both birth rates and infant mortality, and those states that allow abortions experienced an influx of people traveling there to obtain one. Globally, there has been a trend toward more liberal abortion policies; in 2024, France guaranteed the right to abortion in its constitution, and a 2024 proposed bill to equate abortions with homicide spurred massive protests in Brazil. Planners should be aware of the policies that govern abortion in their states, as they could have local demographic, health, and other community impacts.