A telemedicine bill is being heard in committee this afternoon in the Kansas Legislature. HB 2512 lays out some procedures and policy for telemedicine in Kansas, but one section stands out. It specifically excludes abortion-related prescriptions and procedures, and gives no legal or medical reasons for doing so. MainStream is opposing this bill as written, because of the arbitrary exclusion of legal medical options around women's health.

Testimony to House Committee on Health and Human Services
Chair, Rep. Daniel Hawkins
Hearing: Thursday, February 1, 2018, 1:30 pm, Room 546-S

Position – OPPOSE HB 2512 as written

Chair Hawkins, and Members of the Committee, 

As part of its mission, the MainStream Coalition supports and advocates for healthy communities. We are excited about the prospect of a Kansas telemedicine effort. A program such as this would offer quality health care to many Kansans who would otherwise go without, especially in rural communities.

This is why we were disappointed to discover in Section 6 of HB 2512 as introduced, a restriction on providing care around women’s reproductive health.

Abortion is a legal medical procedure in Kansas. There are no other procedures or topics explicitly banned in HB 2512. It would appear that Section 6 was included from a moral and religious position, not a legal or medical one. MainStream strongly opposes legislating moral or religious positions, as it runs counter to the separation of church and state woven into the fabric of our nation.

As written, MainStream opposes HB 2512.

Thank you.