· November 11, 2013

Budget Restrictions Force More Abortion Clinics to Close

Ohio started the year with 14 abortion clinics. If the Ohio Department of Health doesn’t grant variances for the clinics that have applied Ohio will only have seven clinics. Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo will have no options for women in seeking access to abortions. Restrictions in Ohio’s most recent budget required abortion clinics to have a signed transfer agreement in place with an area hospital and prohibited public hospitals from entering into a transfer agreement.   The law is just a formality, another hoop for abortion clinics to jump through, as a hospital would never deny a patient who was in danger. The Ohio Department of Health can grant permission for the clinics to operate under a variance, however under the Kasich administration, clinics are not hopeful that these variances will be granted. Since the budget was passed these restrictions have forced several abortion clinics to close. Several more are in danger of closing. Clinics in Dayton and Toledo are currently fighting for a variance.  In Cincinnati the Elizabeth Campbell Surgical Center has also applied to the Department of Health for a variance, as UC Health felt that the law prevents them from entering into a transfer agreement.  If this clinic closes Cincinnati will be the largest metropolitan area in the country without an abortion clinic.