A senate committee will hold a public hearing Tuesday to discuss a bill that would prohibit pill-induced abortions from being administered through teleconference.
The bill proposed by state Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, and state Rep. Michelle Litjens, R-Oshkosh, would also require doctors ensure a woman is not being coerced into seeking to end a pregnancy.
Telemedicine abortions allow a doctor to confirm a woman has properly taken the mifepristone drug, more commonly known as RU-486, through a web conference. They are administered in Iowa and Minnesota, but are not in Wisconsin.
Currently, women in Wisconsin can receive abortions—both chemical in the first trimester and surgical through the 22nd week of pregnancy—in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Appleton.
Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Director Sue Armacost said she recognized the bill would not stop RU-486 from being distributed, but would require the physician who is prescribing it to give the patient a physical exam in person.
But Lisa Subeck, executive director of National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League Pro-Choice Wisconsin said women receive the same medical care during a telemedicine chemical abortion as they would in any other situation.
“Wisconsin Right to Life would like to portray … some concept where you go into a video booth at a local shopping mall,” Subeck said. “We are talking about physicians providing medical care.”
Subeck said the legislation would create new disparities on who has access to healthcare.
Armacost said those claiming the bill would take away health options for women is “laughable.”
“If you really are concerned about the health of women you would not be distributing this particular drug in this manner,” Armacost said. “We want to make sure that doesn’t occur in Wisconsin.”
