Essential Access Health v. Azar
Our Fight to #SaveTitleX
As the leader of the largest and most diverse Title X system in the country, Essential Access Health filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the Trump administration’s Title X regulations from taking effect. Although the regulations are currently in effect, Essential Access Health continues to seek judicial relief to halt implementation, and protect Title X’s mandate to provide comprehensive family planning services for all.
- What’s the Latest News?
- About the Trump Administration’s Title X Regulations
- About Title X in California
- Resources + Information
- For the Media
What’s the Latest News?
On September 23, an en banc panel of 11 judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco heard oral arguments in challenges to the Trump administration’s Title X regulations. The outcome of the hearing is expected to determine if the preliminary injunctions secured this spring will be restored. Read our statement.
The Fight to #SaveTitleX – A Timeline
- May 22, 2018 – The United States Department of Health and Human Services released proposed Title X regulations that introduced some of the most sweeping and extreme changes in the history of the program
- July 30, 2018 – Essential Access Health submitted public comments outlining the harms the proposed regulations would cause in California and across the country
- February 22, 2019 – Final Title X regulations released on the Office of Population Affairs website
- March 4, 2019 – Final regulations officially published in the Federal Register; Essential Access Health v. Azar, et al filed in federal court
- March 21, 2019 – Essential Access Health filed preliminary injunction motion
- April 18, 2019 – Oral arguments presented in preliminary injunction hearing
- April 26, 2019 – Preliminary injunction granted
- May 3, 2019 – Date regulations were scheduled to take effect
- June 20, 2019 – Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals motions panel lifts preliminary injunction
- July 3, 2019 – The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted emergency motion for re-hearing
- July 11, 2019 – En banc panel of Ninth Circuit judges denied the request to restore the preliminary injunction that had been set aside by the motions panel’s stay while the rehearing process moved forward
- July 26, 2019 – Planned Parenthood Federation of America, joined by litigation partners including the American Medical Association and National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, file a petition requesting full 9th Circuit reconsideration of the en banc panel’s July 11 order
- September, 23, 2019 – En banc panel of 9th Circuit judges heard oral arguments on the request for reconsideration of the June 20 motion’s panel’s decision lifting the preliminary injunction
About the Trump Administration’s Title X Regulations
On March 4, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published new regulations for the federal Title X program in the Federal Register. The regulations prohibit health providers from offering Title X patients complete and unbiased information about all of their pregnancy options, including referrals for abortion services, even if a patient asks for the information. Learn more in the links below.
- KFF Brief: New Title X Regulations: Implications for Women and Family Planning Providers
- Guttmacher Institute’s Comprehensive Guide to Proposed Changes to Title X
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About Title X in California
The Title X federal family planning program was established by Congress in 1970 with bi-partisan support. Title X funding supports the delivery of quality sexual and reproductive services such as birth control, breast and cervical cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment and other preventive services. Title X has played a significant role in reducing unintended pregnancies to their lowest levels in 30 years. California is home to the largest and most comprehensive Title X system in the country. Essential Access Health has served as the lead Title X grantee in the state of California since the program was established. In 2018, Essential Access Health’s statewide Title X provider network served 1,000,000 low-income patients in 38 California counties. Learn more about Title X in California.
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Resources + Information
- Essential Access Health v Azar - Petition for Rehearing En Banc
- Essential Access Health v Azar - Motion for En Banc Reconsideration
- Essential Access Health v Azar - Statement on Ninth Circuit Motions Panel Decision (lifting the preliminary injunction)
- Essential Access Health v Azar – Preliminary Injunction Decision (blocking Title X regulations from taking effect in California)
- Essential Access Health v Azar – Preliminary Injunction Motion
- Essential Access Health v. Azar Complaint
- Social Media Posts + Graphics
- KFF Brief: New Title X Regulations: Implications for Women and Family Planning Providers
- Guttmacher Institute’s Comprehensive Guide to Proposed Changes to Title X
Contact us to receive additional information and materials.
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For the Media
- 9.23.2019: Essential Access Health’s statement after oral arguments before en banc panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco
- 7.15.2019: Statement Regarding Implementation of Title X Regulations
- 6.20.2019: Statement on Title X Court Decision Lifting Preliminary Injunction
- 4.29.2019: Press Release regarding preliminary injunction to block Title X regulations in California
- 4.18.2019: Essential Access Health’s media advisory for April 18th preliminary injunction hearing
- 3.28.2019: Press release applauding the CA State Senate for taking action to #SaveTitleX
- 3.22.2019: Press release on filing a preliminary injunction motion to block harmful and unlawful Title X regulations from taking effect.
- 3.04.2019: Press release on our legal challenge to block Title X regulations from taking effect.
- 2.28.2019: Essential Access Health’s statement on how the changes could impact Title X in California
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