MMA Board Updates Abortion Policies

May 19, 2022

At its May 14 meeting, the MMA Board of Trustees (BOT) adopted revisions to MMA’s policies regarding abortion.  

The first policy adopted, once titled “Adoption of AMA Position on Abortion,” is now titled “Abortion is a Component of Comprehensive Medical Care.” The title change reflects amendments to the policy which vary from that of the AMA.  

While the AMA makes no mention of a patient’s right to an abortion, the MMA now “affirms a person's right to an abortion as a medical decision to be made under the advice and guidance of their healthcare professional. The MMA understands that abortion is an essential component of reproductive healthcare and that all healthcare decisions—including whether or not to have an abortion—are deeply personal and should be made between a patient and their healthcare professional.”  

Also, while AMA policy opposes allowing non-physicians to provide abortions, the MMA now affirms that “abortion is a medical procedure and should be performed only by a duly licensed healthcare professional with appropriate training and proper credentialing in conformance with standards of good medical practice and the Medical Practice Act of their state.” This amendment is consistent with the position of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 

The second policy adopted, “Barriers to Abortion,” clarifies the MMA’s opposition to legislative or regulatory efforts to deny or restrict access to safe abortions, including, but not limited to, the following: 

1. Statutory definitions of informed consent that impose criminal penalties on physicians who perform induced abortions without first disclosing anesthetic or analgesic options to alleviate pain of the fetus, such as the definition currently imposed in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 145.4242; 

2. Informed consent waiting periods for abortions, such as those currently imposed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 145.4242; 

3. Data reporting requirements for abortions, such as those currently imposed by Minnesota Statutes Chapters 145.4131-145.4135; 

4. Statutory definitions of “family planning” which preclude organizations that provide abortion counseling, referrals, and procedures from applying to family planning grants, such as the definition currently imposed in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 145.925. 

5. Restrictions on the use of medically appropriate abortion services rendered via telehealth. 

6. State-based laws that restrict access to abortion by minors through mandatory parental notification such as those currently imposed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144.343, Sub. 2 

7. Insurance plan designs which limit coverage for reproductive care, including induced abortion. 

8. Non-evidence-based requirements targeted toward facilities providing abortion care. 

9. State-based and institutional restrictions that exclude abortion and abortion-related topics in medical education and training programs. 

The adopted policies are the culmination of a deliberate, eight-month process. In September of 2021, the MMA Policy Council created an Abortion Policy Work Group, whose charge was to “conduct an in-depth review of, and offer recommendations on, MMA’s existing policies on abortion.” The work group had 12 physician members from a variety of specialties, including OB/GYN, family medicine, urology, pediatrics, occupational and environmental medicine, and psychiatry. In March of 2022, the work group presented its recommendations to the MMA Policy Council, which unanimously endorsed the recommendations for the Board of Trustees’ consideration.  

Prior to Board action, the proposed polices were disseminated to members via The Pulse for member-wide polling. One hundred ten members voted on the first policy proposal, with 89 voting yes, 18 voting no and three not taking a position. One hundred nineteen members voted on the second policy proposal, with 95 voting yes, 21 voting no and three not taking a position. The BOT ultimately decided to adopt the recommended amendments with a few minor edits per concerns raised by comments on The Pulse. 

From May 20 to May 27, members will be invited to log into The Pulse to indicate their support or opposition of the final actions taken by the Board.