On last Monday , President Trump signed an executive order “ granting relief” from the stipulations of the ACA (Affordable Care Act). Among other things, this means the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) may reduce what insurers are obligated to cover for patient’s care.

Planned Parenthood reports that the number of women trying to get IUDs in their clinics has gone up 900% since early November, i.e. the election. IUDs are a very reliable long acting contraceptive. They are obtaining these IUDs under the contraceptive benefit under the ACA, which they fear will be repealed under the current administration.

The Democratic Governor’s Association has urged Congress not to overturn the Medicaid Expansion or to convert to block grants. They stand to lose a great deal of coverage and funding for their constituents.

Two moderate Republicans, Senator Susan Collins of Massachusetts, and Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician, have indicated a partial replacement for the ACA, which would allow states to continue to operate under it if they chose. Under this proposal, states who opted out of the ACA could get a block payment to administer on their own. The authors have emphasized that the bill is a work in progress.

At the recent GOP policy repeat, a plan was made to have a replacement for the ACA to the House floor by the end of March. The House Speaker, Paul Ryan indicated that they intend to get these replacement laws made in 2017.

The US has frozen funding to health care providers in poor countries who discuss abortion as an option. This policy is called “ The Mexico City Policy” and it is been enforced and revoked back and forth through the administrations of Clinton, Bush, Obama, and now Trump.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reports that consumption of sugar drinks is still “ well above” the recommended limit. Consumption of these drinks has decreased steadily for the last ten years but now seems to have plateaued.

The South has higher cancer mortality rates that the rest of the country. These are areas of the country where poverty, smoking and obesity are more prevalent, and these factors are believed to be the reasons. Overall, the US health rate from cancer has decreased 20% in the last ten years.

Stay tuned next week for more breaking news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology.