No. 18-1323
`
`IN THE
`
`_________
`JUNE MEDICAL SERVICES L.L.C., on behalf of its
`patients, physicians, and staff, d/b/a HOPE MEDICAL
`GROUP FOR WOMEN; JOHN DOE 1; JOHN DOE 2,
`Petitioners,
`
`v.
`DR. REBEKAH GEE, in her official capacity as Secretary
`of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals,
`Respondent.
`_________
`On Writ of Certiorari to the
`United States Court of Appeals
`for the Fifth Circuit
`_________
`BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE IBIS
`REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND OTHER
`ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF
`PETITIONERS
`_________
`Jessica L. Ellsworth
`Counsel of Record
`MADELINE H. GITOMER
`KAITLYN A. GOLDEN
`KAITLIN WELBORN
`HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP
`555 Thirteenth Street,
`N.W.
`Washington, DC 20004
`(202) 637-5600
`jessica.ellsworth@
`hoganlovells.com
`Counsel for Amici Curiae
`
`
`
`IN THE
`
`_________
`JUNE MEDICAL SERVICES L.L.C., on behalf of its
`patients, physicians, and staff, d/b/a HOPE MEDICAL
`GROUP FOR WOMEN; JOHN DOE 1; JOHN DOE 2,
`Petitioners,
`
`v.
`DR. REBEKAH GEE, in her official capacity as Secretary
`of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals,
`Respondent.
`_________
`On Writ of Certiorari to the
`United States Court of Appeals
`for the Fifth Circuit
`_________
`BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE IBIS
`REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND OTHER
`ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF
`PETITIONERS
`_________
`Jessica L. Ellsworth
`Counsel of Record
`MADELINE H. GITOMER
`KAITLYN A. GOLDEN
`KAITLIN WELBORN
`HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP
`555 Thirteenth Street,
`N.W.
`Washington, DC 20004
`(202) 637-5600
`jessica.ellsworth@
`hoganlovells.com
`Counsel for Amici Curiae
`
`
`
`i
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ...................................... iii
`STATEMENT OF INTEREST .................................... 1
`INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY OF
`ARGUMENT ............................................................. 4
`ARGUMENT ............................................................... 5
`I. LOUISIANA WOMEN AND THEIR
`FAMILIES FACE POOR HEALTH
`OUTCOMES ..................................................... 5
`II. LOUISIANA’S POLICY CHOICES
`CONTRIBUTE TO THE POOR
`HEALTH OF WOMEN AND
`CHILDREN IN THE STATE ......................... 12
`A. Louisiana’s Legislature Rejects
`or Ignores Policies That Would
`Improve Women’s and Children’s
`Health ..................................................... 13
`B. Louisiana has Passed Laws to
`Restrict Women’s Access to Re-
`productive Health Care .......................... 21
`III. THIS HISTORY BEARS ON THE
`CONSTITUTIONALITY OF ACT 620 ........... 27
`A. The Court Should Consider
`These Poor Health Outcomes
`When Examining Respondent’s
`Explanation for Act 620 ......................... 27
`B. Act 620 Creates an Undue Bur-
`den Because Louisiana’s Alleged
`Interest in Women’s Health is
`Not Credible ............................................ 29
`
`
`
`ii
`TABLE OF CONTENTS—Continued
`
`Page
`CONCLUSION .......................................................... 31
`
`
`
`iii
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Page(s)
`
`CASES:
`Doe v. Bolton,
`410 U.S. 179 (1973) .............................................. 28
`Kelo v. City of New London,
`545 U.S. 469 (2005) .............................................. 28
`NAACP v. Alabama,
`357 U.S. 449 (1958) .............................................. 29
`Planned Parenthood of Se. Penn. v. Casey,
`505 U.S. 833 (1992) .............................................. 27
`Romer v. Evans,
`517 U.S. 620 (1996) .............................................. 29
`Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld,
`420 U.S. 636 (1975) .............................................. 27
`Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt,
`136 S. Ct. 2292 (2016) .................................... 28, 31
`REGULATIONS:
`42 C.F.R. § 457.805(b)(1) (2016) ............................. 17
`LEGISLATIVE MATERIALS:
`H.B. 46, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ....................... 20
`H.B. 63, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ....................... 15
`H.B. 87, 2015 Reg. Sess. (La. 2015) ....................... 15
`H.B. 112, 2017 Reg. Sess. (La. 2017) ..................... 15
`H.B. 133, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ............... 21, 29
`H.B. 174, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ..................... 19
`H.B. 186, 2015 Reg. Sess. (La. 2015) ............... 23, 30
`H.B. 192, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ..................... 16
`H.B. 199, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ............... 23, 30
`
`
`
` iv
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`H.B. 251, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ..................... 15
`H.B. 261, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ..................... 19
`H.B. 273, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ............... 21, 29
`H.B. 278, 2013 Reg. Sess. (La. 2013) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 282, 2017 Reg. Sess. (La. 2017) ..................... 15
`H.B. 289, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ..................... 15
`H.B. 305, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 320, 2011 Reg. Sess. (La. 2011) ..................... 16
`H.B. 345, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ............... 23, 30
`H.B. 347, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ............... 23, 30
`H.B. 369, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ..................... 14
`H.B. 384, 2017 Reg. Sess. (La. 2017) ..................... 15
`H.B. 386, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 388, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 397, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ..................... 15
`H.B. 425, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ............... 21, 29
`H.B. 449, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ............... 21, 29
`H.B. 450, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ..................... 15
`H.B. 453, 2013 Reg. Sess. (La. 2013) ..................... 15
`H.B. 484, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ............... 21, 29
`H.B. 488, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 499, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ..................... 14
`H.B. 529, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ..................... 14
`H.B. 560, 2015 Reg. Sess. (La. 2015) ..................... 19
`H.B. 573, 2012 Reg. Sess. (La. 2012) ..................... 16
`
`
`
` v
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`H.B. 605, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ..................... 15
`H.B. 606, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 625, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ............... 23, 30
`H.B. 636, 2011 Reg. Sess. (La. 2011) ............... 23, 29
`H.B. 658, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ..................... 15
`H.B. 673, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ..................... 16
`H.B. 677, 2015 Reg. Sess. (La. 2015) ..................... 16
`H.B. 690, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ............... 23, 30
`H.B. 694, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ............... 23, 30
`H.B. 815, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 818, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ............... 23, 30
`H.B. 820, 2013 Reg. Sess. (La. 2013) ..................... 14
`H.B. 832, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ..................... 16
`H.B. 878, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ..................... 15
`H.B. 881, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ..................... 15
`H.B. 891, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ............... 22, 29
`H.B. 928, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ..................... 15
`H.B. 1019, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ............. 22, 29
`H.B. 1081, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ............. 22, 29
`H.B. 1105, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ............. 22, 29
`H.B. 1247, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ............. 23, 29
`H.B. 1262, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ............. 22, 29
`H.B. 1370, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ............. 23, 29
`H.B. 1453, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ............. 23, 29
`H.C.R. 3, 2015 Reg. Sess. (La. 2015)...................... 19
`
`
`
` vi
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`H.C.R. 43, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) .................... 20
`S.B. 33, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) .................. 22, 29
`S.B. 73, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) .................. 22, 29
`S.B. 77, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ........................ 20
`S.B. 84, 2015 Reg. Sess. (La. 2015) ........................ 14
`S.B. 90, 2013 Reg. Sess. (La. 2013) .................. 22, 29
`S.B. 111, 2017 Reg. Sess. (La. 2017) ................ 22, 29
`S.B. 117, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ...................... 15
`S.B. 125, 2013 Reg. Sess. (La. 2013) ...................... 19
`S.B. 128, 2017 Reg. Sess. (La. 2017) ................ 22, 29
`S.B. 153, 2013 Reg. Sess. (La. 2013) ...................... 16
`S.B. 155, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ...................... 16
`S.B. 173, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ................ 23, 30
`S.B. 181, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ................ 22, 29
`S.B. 184, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ................ 21, 29
`S.B. 186, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ...................... 14
`S.B. 188, 2017 Reg. Sess. (La. 2017) ...................... 20
`S.B. 189, 2012 Reg. Sess. (La. 2012) ...................... 15
`S.B. 221, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ................ 21, 29
`S.B. 238, 2019 Reg. Sess. (La. 2019) ................ 21, 29
`S.B. 249, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ...................... 16
`S.B. 256, 2012 Reg. Sess. (La. 2012) ................ 23, 30
`S.B. 298, 2016 Reg. Sess. (La. 2016) ...................... 14
`S.B. 309, 2014 Reg. Sess. (La. 2014) ................ 23, 30
`S.B. 325, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ................ 22, 29
`
`
`
` vii
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`S.B. 330, 2012 Reg. Sess. (La. 2012) ................ 22, 29
`S.B. 528, 2010 Reg. Sess. (La. 2010) ................ 23, 29
`S.B. 534, 2018 Reg. Sess. (La. 2018) ................ 22, 29
`S.B. 708, 2012 Reg. Sess. (La. 2012) ................ 23, 29
`S.B. 766, 2012 Reg. Sess. (La. 2012) ................ 23, 29
`ADMINISTRATIVE MATERIALS:
`La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § 7305(A)(1)(a) ................ 30
`OTHER AUTHORITIES:
`Am. College of Obstetricians &
`Gynecologists, Benefits to Women of
`Medicaid Expansion Through the
`Affordable Care Act, (Jan. 2013),
`https://bit.ly/37HZfUc .......................................... 18
`Am. Pub. Health Assoc., Opposition to
`Requirements for Hospital Admitting
`Privileges and Transfer Agreements for
`Abortion Providers (Nov. 3, 2015),
`https://bit.ly/2QTkAUR........................................ 30
`The Annie E. Casey Found., 2019 Kids
`Count Data Book: State Trends in Child
`Well-Being, (2019),
`https://bit.ly/33pwLeG ......................................... 11
`The Annie E. Casey Found., 2019 Kids
`Count Profile: Louisiana,
`https://bit.ly/2pRJVn0 (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ............................................................... 11
`
`
`
` viii
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`Samantha Artinga & Olivia Pham, Kaiser
`Family Found., Recent Medicaid/CHIP
`Enrollment Declines and Barriers to
`Maintaining Coverage, Kaiser Family
`Foundation (Sept. 24, 2019),
`https://bit.ly/2rx26i9 ............................................ 20
`Tricia Brooks, Making Kids Wait for
`Coverage Makes No Sense in a Reformed
`Health System, Georgetown Univ.
`Health Policy Inst. (Apr. 2017),
`https://bit.ly/2Op749T .......................................... 17
`Bridgit Burns et al., Evaluating Priorities:
`Measuring Women’s and Children’s
`Health and Well-Being Against Abortion
`Restrictions in the States, State Brief:
`Louisiana, Ibis Reproductive Health
`(Nov. 2014) ........................................................... 11
`Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Smoke-
`Free States in the United States, (July
`12, 2019), https://bit.ly/34mSJR1 ........................ 15
`Ctr. on Budget & Policy Priorities, Taking
`Away Medicaid for Not Meeting Work
`Requirements Harms Women, (Mar. 14,
`2019), https://bit.ly/34o22QB ............................... 20
`Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention,
`Louisiana-State Health Profile,
`https://bit.ly/2KWvGVd (last visited
`Nov. 26, 2019) ........................................................ 7
`
`
`
` ix
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention,
`Office on Smoking & Health, Smokefree
`Policies Improve Health, (Jan. 17, 2018),
`https://bit.ly/37Ff2Dg ........................................... 15
`Ctrs. for Medicare & Medicaid Servs.,
`Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance
`Program, & Basic Health Program
`Eligibility Levels,
`https://bit.ly/33pUw6m (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ............................................................... 18
`Ctrs. for Medicare & Medicaid Servs.,
`Waiting Periods in CHIP,
`https://bit.ly/2KSIGeA (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ............................................................... 17
`Exec. Order, No. JBE 16-01 (Jan. 12,
`2016), https://bit.ly/34xVQWp ............................. 19
`Lawrence B. Finer et al., Timing of Steps
`and Reasons for Delays in Obtaining
`Abortions in the United States, 74
`Contraception 334 (2006),
`https://bit.ly/35I61rz ............................................ 25
`Rebekah Gee, La. Dep’t of Health, Address
`at the American College of Obstetricians
`and Gynecologists Congressional
`Leadership Conference, State the Facts:
`Health Care in State Government, (Mar.
`12, 2018), https://bit.ly/34nA9YW ......................... 6
`Guttmacher Inst., Counseling and
`Waiting Periods for Abortion, (Nov. 1,
`2019), https://bit.ly/37BJq1n ............................... 24
`
`
`
` x
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`Guttmacher Inst., Sex and HIV Education
`(Nov. 1, 2019), https://bit.ly/2KXKEdP ............... 14
`Guttmacher Inst., State Facts About
`Abortion: Louisiana (Sept. 2019),
`https://bit.ly/2OkQd8b ......................................... 24
`Kaiser Family Found., Breast Cancer
`Deaths per 100,000 Women,
`https://bit.ly/2pOg3rA (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ................................................................. 7
`Kaiser Family Found., Cervical Cancer
`Incidence Rate per 100,000 Women,
`https://bit.ly/2OYQ8Gv (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ................................................................. 8
`Kaiser Family Found., HIV Diagnoses,
`Adults and Adolescents, by Sex,
`https://bit.ly/2QRRCoo (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ........................................................... 7, 13
`Kaiser Family Found., Medicaid’s Role for
`Women (Mar. 28, 2019),
`https://bit.ly/2DmXJc8 ......................................... 17
`Kaiser Family Found., Number of Heart
`Disease Deaths per 100,000 Population
`by Gender, https://bit.ly/2Dh9Wiy (last
`visited Nov. 26, 2019) ............................................ 7
`Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adults
`Reporting Fair or Poor Health Status, by
`Gender, https://bit.ly/33myDoH (last
`visited Nov. 26, 2019) ............................................ 6
`
`
`
` xi
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adult
`Women Reporting Fair or Poor Health
`Status, by Race/Ethnicity,
`https://bit.ly/2QSQYXz (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ................................................................. 6
`Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adult
`Women Who Did Not See a Doctor in the
`Past 12 Months Due to Cost, by
`Race/Ethnicity, https://bit.ly/2qB4AMF
`(last visited Nov. 26, 2019) .................................... 6
`Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adult
`Women Who Have Ever Been Told by a
`Doctor That They Have Diabetes,
`https://bit.ly/37EMQ3o (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ................................................................. 7
`Kaiser Family Found., Pharmacist
`Provision of Emergency Contraception to
`Women Without a Doctor’s Prescription
`(May 1, 2019), https://bit.ly/35IihZ7 ................... 26
`Kaiser Family Found., Rate of Child
`Deaths (1-14) per 100,000 Children,
`https://bit.ly/2XOAFMS (last visited
`Nov. 26, 2019) ...................................................... 11
`Kaiser Family Found., State Funding of
`Abortions Under Medicaid (June 21,
`2019), https://bit.ly/2R4hayT ............................... 25
`Kaiser Family Found., State Requirements
`for Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives
`(May 1, 2019), https://bit.ly/2On3NrH ................ 26
`
`
`
` xii
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`Kaiser Family Found., Where Are States
`Today? Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility
`Levels for Children, Pregnant Women,
`and Adults (Mar. 31, 2019),
`https://bit.ly/33pVfo6 ........................................... 18
`Pamela K. Kohler et al., Abstinence-Only
`and Comprehensive Sex Education and
`the Initiation of Sexual Activity and
`Teen Pregnancy, 42 J. of Adolescent
`Health 344 (2008) ................................................ 13
`La. Dep’t of Health, 2018 Louisiana
`Health Report Card, (May 2019),
`https://bit.ly/2Dj4vzR ............................... 10, 13, 30
`La. Dep’t of Health, Changes to Medicaid
`Eligibility Criteria Effective January 1,
`(Aug. 16, 2013), https://bit.ly/2DlfdFU ............... 19
`La. Dept. of Health, Reproductive Health
`Needs Assessment 2017,
`https://bit.ly/2QSXbmz (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ............................................................... 26
`Casey Leins, States with the Highest
`Maternal Mortality Rates, U.S. News
`(June 12, 2019), https://bit.ly/2KYZn8m ............... 9
`Lift Louisiana, Abortion Information and
`Resources, https://bit.ly/2QVhsrw (last
`visited Nov. 26, 2019) .......................................... 25
`Daniel Mackay et al., Smoke-free
`Legislation and Hospitalizations for
`Childhood Asthma, 363 New Engl. J.
`Med. 1139 (2010) .................................................. 15
`
`
`
` xiii
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`March of Dimes, 2019 March of Dimes
`Report Card, (2019),
`https://bit.ly/2OObI02 .......................................... 10
`Medicaid & CHIP Payment & Access
`Comm’n, Access in Brief: Pregnant
`Women and Medicaid, (Nov. 2018),
`https://bit.ly/37HYXwA........................................ 18
`Kelsey R. Mirkovic et al., Paid Maternity
`Leave and Breastfeeding Outcomes, 43
`Birth: Issues in Prenatal Care 1 (2016) ............. 14
`Nat’l Acad. for State Health Policy,
`Children’s Health Insurance Program
`Frequently Asked Questions, (Apr. 2017),
`https://bit.ly/2OOQHSW ...................................... 18
`Nat’l P’ship for Women & Families, Bad
`Medicine: How a Political Agenda is
`Undermining Abortion Care and Access
`in Louisiana, (May 2018),
`https://bit.ly/37GNeyD ......................................... 24
`Nat’l Women’s Law Ctr., NWLC:
`Louisiana, https://bit.ly/2KSB2AL (last
`visited Nov. 26, 2019) ............................................ 6
`Elizabeth A. Pascoe & Laura Smart
`Richman, Perceived Discrimination and
`Health: A Meta-Analytic Review, 135
`Psychol. Bulletin 531 (2009) ................................ 15
`
`
`
` xiv
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`Jonathan Platt et al., Unequal Depression
`for Equal Work? How the Wage Gap
`Explains Gendered Disparities in Mood
`Disorders, 149 J. of Soc. Sci. Med. 1
`(Jan. 2016) ............................................................ 15
`Sarah C.M. Roberts et al., Estimating the
`Proportion of Medicaid-Eligible
`Pregnant Women in Louisiana Who Do
`Not Get Abortions When Medicaid Does
`Not Cover Abortion, 19 BMC Women’s
`Health 1 (2019) .............................................. 25, 26
`Dottie Rosenbaum, Lessons Churned:
`Measuring the Impact of Churn in
`Health and Human Services Programs
`on Participants and State and Local
`Agencies, Ctr. on Budget & Policy
`Priorities (Mar. 20, 2015),
`https://bit.ly/33kdxqH .......................................... 21
`Alina Salganicoff et al., Coverage for
`Abortion Services in Medicaid,
`Marketplace Plans and Private Plans,
`Kaiser Family Found. (June 24, 2019),
`https://bit.ly/2QTfg3W ......................................... 24
`Adam Searing & Donna Cohen Ross,
`Medicaid Expansion Fills Gaps in
`Maternal Health Coverage Leading to
`Healthier Mothers and Babies,
`Georgetown Univ. Health Policy Inst.
`(May 2019), https://bit.ly/37ztqx3 ....................... 18
`
`
`
` xv
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`Benjamin D. Sommers et al., Mortality
`and Access to Care Among Adults After
`State Medicaid Expansions, 367 New
`Eng. J. of Med. 1025 (2012) ................................. 19
`Kathrin F. Stanger-Hall & David W. Hall,
`Abstinence-Only Education and Teen
`Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need
`Comprehensive Sex Education in the
`U.S., 6 Plos One 1 (2011) ..................................... 13
`U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs.,
`Infant Mortality in the United States,
`2017: Data From the Period Linked
`Birth/Infant Death File, 68 Nat’l Vital
`Statistics Reports 1 (2019) .................................. 10
`U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs.,
`Nat’l Insts. of Health, What is Prenatal
`Care and Why is it Important?, (Jan. 31,
`2017), https://bit.ly/2QQ3dEi ................................ 8
`U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs.,
`Office of Disease Prevention & Health
`Promotion, Access to Health Services,
`https://bit.ly/33h147i (last visited Nov.
`26, 2019) ................................................................. 7
`U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs.,
`Office of Disease Prevention & Health
`Promotion, Reproductive & Sexual
`Health, (Nov. 27, 2019),
`https://bit.ly/2OjLmnA ........................................... 9
`U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs.,
`Office of Women’s Health, Prenatal Care
`(Apr. 1, 2019), https://bit.ly/37Hga9p ................... 8
`
`
`
` xvi
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES—Continued
`Page(s)
`
`U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs.,
`Timing and Adequacy of Prenatal Care
`in the United States, 2016, 67 Nat’l Vital
`Statistics Reports 1 (2018) .................................... 9
`United Health Found., Health of Women
`and Children Report, Am.’s Health
`Rankings (Sept. 2019),
`https://bit.ly/2DkKxF0 ........................... 5, 9, 10, 13
`George Wehby et al, Effects of the
`Minimum Wage on Infant Health (Nat’l
`Bureau of Econ. Research, Working
`Paper No. 22,373, 2018)....................................... 16
`Drew White & Tryfon Boukouvidis,
`Seabaugh Speaks on His Refusal to
`Yield to Monday’s Revenue Measure,
`KALB (June 8, 2018),
`https://bit.ly/34nx0Iz ............................................ 19
`Karla Willows et al., Fertility-Sparing
`Management in Cervical Cancer:
`Balancing Oncologic Outcomes with
`Reproductive Success, Gynecologic
`Oncology Res. & Practice (2016) ........................... 8
`Emily Woodruff, Louisiana’s Rate of Dying
`Mothers Should ‘Shock Us All,’ Official
`Says; Industry Seeks Answers, The New
`Orleans Advocate (Aug. 21, 2019),
`https://bit.ly/33i1HgN ............................................ 9
`World Bank, Maternal Mortality Ratio
`(Modeled Estimate, Per 100,000 Live
`Births), (2019), https://bit.ly/33fOCVq .................. 9
`
`
`
`IN THE
`
`_________
`NO. 18-1323
`_________
`JUNE MEDICAL SERVICES L.L.C., on behalf of its
`patients, physicians, and staff, d/b/a HOPE MEDICAL
`GROUP FOR WOMEN; JOHN DOE 1; JOHN DOE 2,
`Petitioners,
`
`v.
`DR. REBEKAH GEE, in her official capacity as
`Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health
`and Hospitals,
`Respondent.
`_________
`On Writ of Certiorari to the
`United States Court of Appeals
`for the Fifth Circuit
`_________
`BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE IBIS
`REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND OTHER
`ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF
`PETITIONERS
`_________
`STATEMENT OF INTEREST
`Amici are organizations committed to improving
`the health and well-being of women and children
`nationally and in the state of Louisiana.1 As set
`
`1 No party or counsel for a party authored this brief in whole or
`in part. No party, counsel for party, or person other than amici
`curiae or counsel made any monetary contribution intended to
`fund the preparation or submission of this brief. All parties
`have filed a notice of blanket consent with the Clerk.
`
`
`
`2
`forth in this brief, the questions presented by this
`case are highly relevant to achieving those goals.
`Amici encourage the Court to assess Louisiana’s
`claim that it enacted Act 620 to advance the health
`of women and their families in the context of Louisi-
`ana’s sustained failure to improve the health and
`welfare of women and children in the State.
`Amicus curiae Ibis Reproductive Health (Ibis) is a
`global research organization working with partners
`around the world to design and conduct rigorous
`research to advance policy and service-delivery
`solutions that transform people’s reproductive lives.
`Ibis staff are deeply knowledgeable about abortion,
`contraception, and comprehensive sexual and repro-
`ductive health care and Ibis researchers are trained
`in conducting rigorous social science and clinical
`research.
`Amicus curiae Lift Louisiana is an advocacy organ-
`ization that works to improve health outcomes for
`women and children in Louisiana. The organization
`advocates for policy changes that enable all citizens
`to have the resources, information, rights, and ability
`to make their own decisions about, and have access
`to, reproductive health care. Lift Louisiana supports
`pregnant and parenting Louisianans by hosting
`workshops, trainings, and events focused on promot-
`ing affordable and accessible health care and repro-
`ductive rights.
`Amicus curiae The New Orleans Abortion Fund
`was founded by community leaders in 2012 in re-
`sponse to a spate of restrictions on Louisiana wom-
`en’s access to abortion care. The group affirms a
`person’s right to control their body and works to
`ensure that all people have access to quality medical
`
`
`
`3
`care, regardless of their economic situation. The
`New Orleans Abortion Fund partners with local
`medical providers and provides social and financial
`support to Louisiana women seeking abortion care.
`The organization also runs a clinic escort program at
`New Orleans’ only remaining abortion provider,
`mobilizing volunteers to defend access every day the
`clinic sees patients.
`Amicus curiae The Institute for Women’s Policy
`Research (IWPR) is a leading economic and public
`policy organization founded in 1987 that focuses on
`analyzing issues that affect women and their fami-
`lies. IWPR conducts and publishes research that
`highlights economic and social policy issues relevant
`to women and families. IWPR has released reports
`on each state and Washington, D.C., including a
`report on Louisiana. IWPR has also released nation-
`al reports with data on the status of women in the
`states. These reports include a focus on general
`health care as well as reproductive health and rights.
`Amicus curiae The Center for Inquiry (CFI) is a
`nonprofit educational organization dedicated to
`promoting and defending reason, science, and free-
`dom of inquiry. Through education, research, pub-
`lishing, social services, and other activities, including
`litigation, CFI encourages evidence-based inquiry
`into science, pseudoscience, medicine, health, reli-
`gion, and ethics. CFI advocates for public policy
`rooted in science, evidence, and objective truth, and
`works to protect the freedom of inquiry that is vital
`to a free society.
`Individually and collectively, amici’s missions are
`to advance women’s health and well-being. Louisi-
`ana fares poorly on the key metrics that measure
`
`
`
`4
`women’s overall well-being and health care access. It
`has enacted abortion restrictions year in and year
`out while declining to enact laws aimed at other
`aspects of women’s well-being and health care access.
`Unless this Court reverses the Fifth Circuit decision
`below, amici are concerned that state legislatures
`will believe that this Court’s precedents permit them
`to impose any restriction on abortion that the state
`couches as motivated by improving women’s health,
`regardless of what the facts show.
`INTRODUCTION AND
`SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT
`By nearly every measure, women and their families
`in Louisiana face poor health outcomes. Louisiana
`ranks last in the nation on several key metrics of
`health outcomes for women. Louisiana faces a
`particularly pressing maternal mortality crisis:
`Women in Louisiana are more likely to die during or
`shortly after childbirth than women in 48 other
`States and 81 other countries, including Armenia,
`Cuba, and Syria. The premature birth rate in Loui-
`siana, an accepted indicator of poor maternal and
`children’s health, is one of the highest in the country.
`These poor health outcomes reflect, in part, policy
`choices that the Louisiana legislature has made. The
`Louisiana legislature has repeatedly rejected, or
`declined to take up, legislation that evidence shows
`would improve health outcomes. For example,
`despite facing an HIV rate more than double the
`national average, Louisiana has rejected HIV educa-
`tion, a proven method to reduce these rates. The
`legislature has similarly rejected, or failed to act on
`measures, shown to improve women’s health, like
`paid family and medical leave or banning smoking in
`
`
`
`5
`enclosed public places, even as it put in place a
`three-month waiting period before a child may be
`enrolled in LaCHIP, the State’s health care program
`for its most vulnerable kids. And the Louisiana
`legislature has consistently advanced policies aimed
`at restricting access to abortion; despite no evidence
`these policies improve health outcomes for women
`and their families.
`Women and children in Louisiana suffer markedly
`worse health and access to health care than women
`and children throughout the nation. As the Court
`carefully evaluates Louisiana’s stated purpose for
`passing Act 620—improving the health of women
`and their families—it should consider the poor
`health and well-being outcomes of women and chil-
`dren in Louisiana, as well as Louisiana’s failure to
`undertake basic health reforms that would improve
`those outcomes.
`
`THEIR
`HEALTH
`
`ARGUMENT
`AND
`I. LOUISIANA WOMEN
`FAMILIES
`FACE
`POOR
`OUTCOMES.
`Women in Louisiana experience some of the worst
`health outcomes in the nation. Year after year,
`Louisiana fares poorly on critical measures of wom-
`en’s and children’s health. This year, the United
`Health Foundation ranked Louisiana last among the
`50 states in health outcomes for women.2 As Re-
`spondent acknowledged last year, the state “re-
`
`2 United Health Found., Health of Women and Children Report,
`Am.’s Health Rankings 84 (Sept. 2019), https://bit.ly/2DkKxF0.
`
`
`
`6
`main[s] 50th or 49th in many of the most important
`indicators on health.”3
`Here are just a few examples of the bleak future
`Louisiana women face. One in four Louisiana wom-
`en report being in poor or fair health.4 Nearly one in
`five report not receiving health care at any point in
`the past year due to cost.5 The statistics are particu-
`larly stark for women of color. More than one in four
`Black women in Louisiana report that they experi-
`ence poor or fair health, the second-highest rate in
`the country.6 And more than one in three Hispanic
`women in Louisiana reported in 2017 that they did
`not see a doctor in the last year at all due to cost, the
`highest rate in the country.7
`Unsurprisingly, this lack of access to care has led
`to a high incidence of disease, fewer preventive
`
`3 Rebekah Gee, La. Dep’t of Health, Address at the American
`College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Congressional
`Leadership Conference, State the Facts: Health Care in State
`Government, (Mar. 12, 2018), https://bit.ly/34nA9YW.
`4 Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adults Reporting Fair or
`Poor Health Status, by Gender, https://bit.ly/33myDoH (last
`visited Nov. 26, 2019).
`5 Nat’l Women’s Law Ctr., NWLC: Louisiana, https://bit.
`ly/2KSB2AL (last visited Nov. 26, 2019).
`6 Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adult Women Reporting Fair
`Race/Ethnicity,
`or
`Poor
`Health
`Status,
`by
`https://bit.ly/2QSQYXz (last visited Nov. 26, 2019).
`7 Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adult Women Who Did Not
`See a Doctor in the Past 12 Months Due to Cost, by
`Race/Ethnicity, https://bit.ly/2qB4AMF (last visited Nov. 26,
`2019).
`
`
`
`7
`services, and delays in appropriate care. 8 More
`women die from breast cancer in Louisiana than
`almost anywhere else in the nation. In 2017, Louisi-
`ana reported the third-highest breast cancer mortali-
`ty rate in the country (trailing only Mississippi and
`the District of Columbia).9 Louisiana women face a
`risk of death from heart disease that surpasses that
`of all but four other states.10 And the diabetes diag-
`nosis rate among Louisiana women is 36 percent
`higher than the national average.11
`For women in Louisiana, these poor health out-
`comes extend to reproductive health. Women in
`Louisiana contract sexually transmitted infections
`like chlamydia at rates above the national average.12
`The HIV rate among Louisiana women, 12.4 per
`100,000 women, dwarfs the national average of 5.2.13
`The diagnosis rate for cervical cancer in Louisiana is
`
`8 U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs., Office of Disease
`Prevention & Health Promotion, Access to Health Services,
`https://bit.ly/33h147i (last visited Nov. 26, 2019).
`9 Kaiser Family Found., Breast Cancer Deaths per 100,000
`Women, https://bit.ly/2pOg3rA (last visited Nov. 26, 2019).
`10 Kaiser Family Found., Number of Heart Disease Deaths per
`100,000 Population by Gender, https://bit.ly/2Dh9Wiy (last
`visited Nov. 26, 2019).
`11 Kaiser Family Found., Percent of Adult Women Who Have
`Ever Been Told by a Doctor That They Have Diabetes,
`https://bit.ly/37EMQ3o (last visited Nov. 26, 2019).
`12 Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention, Louisiana-State
`Health Profile, https://bit.ly/2KWvGVd (last visited Nov. 26,
`2019).
`13 Kaiser Family Found., HIV Diagnoses, Adults and Adoles-
`cents, by Sex, https://bi
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