Florida’s two state health agencies clarified for doctors on Thursday morning that an abortion is allowed at “any stage in pregnancy” to save the life and health of the mother, according to a press release.
“Providers are reminded that Florida requires life-saving medical care to a mother without delay when necessary, and the Florida Department of Health and the Agency for Health Care Administration will take regulatory action when a provider fails to follow this standard of care,” the press release says in bold text.
The release, aimed to dispel what the state called “misinformation” about abortion in Florida, also says “miscarriage is not an abortion” in bold text and warns health care facilities and providers that a failure to provide life-saving treatment for pregnant women may constitute malpractice.
Unfortunately, as we have seen in other states (and possibly also Florida), hospitals are willing to let women die rather than take the legal risk even when the law says that the life or health of the mother is at risk. And now all they’re doing here is putting those facilities between a rock and a hard place. Either they perform the abortion and risk breaking the law or they don’t perform the abortion and risk malpractice. I’m guessing they’ll probably err on the side of malpractice.
That’s what insurance is for. - the executive at the hospital