Severino isn’t explicitly calling for a federal abortion ban, here (more for distancing the federal government from supporting abortion in any form), so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt (ish) for now. (Spoiler: He calls for the equivalent of a federal abortion ban later in this section.) Let’s talk about the facts.

Abortion IS health care.

“Pregnancy imposes significant physiological changes on a person’s body. These changes can exacerbate underlying or preexisting conditions, like renal or cardiac disease, and can severely compromise health or even cause death. Determining the appropriate medical intervention depends on a patient’s specific condition. There are situations where pregnancy termination in the form of an abortion is the only medical intervention that can preserve a patient’s health or save their life.

“As physicians, we are focused on protecting the health and lives of the patients for whom we provide care. Without question, abortion can be medically necessary.” [Source]

Need More?

Full contextual analysis of Section 3.5: Department of Health and Human Services here.