Legislative Action to Uphold Sustainable Development Goals in U.S. Healthcare

A report on the introduction of the Restoring Essential Healthcare Act, a bicameral bill aimed at repealing the federal ban on Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood. This legislative initiative directly addresses several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focusing on ensuring health, promoting equality, and building just institutions.

Bill Overview and Alignment with SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Legislative Purpose

On July 29, 2025, a group of U.S. lawmakers introduced the Restoring Essential Healthcare Act. The bill’s primary objective is to strike Section 71113 of a recently passed Republican bill, which prohibits federal Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood clinics. This legislative action seeks to build more effective and inclusive institutions (SDG 16) by reversing a policy viewed as politically motivated and detrimental to public health.

• House Sponsors: Representatives Laura Friedman (CA-30), Nikema Williams (GA-5), Chris Pappas (NH-1)
• Senate Sponsors: Senators Tina Smith (MN), Patty Murray (WA)

Impact of Current Legislation on SDG Targets

The existing ban on Medicaid reimbursements has placed nearly 200 Planned Parenthood clinics at risk of closure. This directly threatens access to healthcare for over two million patients, undermining progress toward key sustainable development targets.

• Threat to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The potential closure of clinics severely limits access to essential health services for entire communities.
• Threat to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): As the ban specifically targets Medicaid funding, it disproportionately affects low-income individuals, exacerbating health and economic inequalities.

Core Focus on SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Protecting Access to Essential Health Services

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act aims to safeguard a wide range of preventative and essential health services. The loss of these services would represent a significant setback for achieving Target 3.7 (ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services) and Target 3.8 (achieve universal health coverage).

1. Cancer Screenings (e.g., breast exams)
2. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Testing and Treatment
3. Contraception and Birth Control Access
4. HPV Vaccinations
5. General Preventative Care

Proponents argue that for many communities, Planned Parenthood is the sole provider of such critical care, making the restoration of funding essential for public health infrastructure.

Advancing SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

Empowering Women and Reducing Disparities

The legislation is framed as a crucial step toward achieving gender equality and reducing systemic inequalities. By ensuring access to reproductive healthcare, the act supports SDG 5, particularly Target 5.6, which calls for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. Control over healthcare decisions is fundamental to the social and economic empowerment of women.

Furthermore, the bill directly confronts the challenges outlined in SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by:

• Countering Economic Disadvantage: It ensures that individuals on Medicaid are not denied access to a major healthcare provider, preventing health outcomes from being determined by economic status.
• Promoting Equal Opportunity: The act seeks to guarantee that access to care is not dependent on a patient’s income or ZIP code, promoting the inclusion of all as outlined in Target 10.2.

As stated by Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the initiative champions the principle that “Everyone deserves health care,” a core tenet of reducing inequality.

Broad-Based Support and Endorsements

Coalition for Sustainable Health Outcomes

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act has garnered significant support, indicating a broad consensus on the importance of protecting access to these health services. This coalition reflects a collective effort to uphold the principles embedded within the SDGs.

• Legislative Support: The bill was introduced with 133 original cosponsors in the House of Representatives.
• Organizational Endorsements: Key national organizations have endorsed the act, including the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Center for Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, and Physicians for Reproductive Health.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues related to healthcare access, reproductive rights, and socioeconomic disparities, which directly connect to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The core of the article is about ensuring access to essential healthcare services, such as cancer screenings, STI testing, birth control, and other preventive care, which are fundamental to public health and well-being.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The article heavily emphasizes reproductive healthcare, family planning, and women’s health. It frames the issue as a fight for the “fundamental right to reproductive freedom” and highlights how the funding ban disproportionately affects women’s access to care.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article points out that the ban on Medicaid reimbursements affects individuals based on their income (“bank account”) and location (“ZIP code”), creating inequalities in healthcare access. The proposed legislation aims to ensure care for everyone, regardless of their economic status.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.7: “By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.”
   • The article’s central theme is the restoration of funding for Planned Parenthood, a major provider of reproductive healthcare services, including “birth control,” “STI testing,” and other “essential reproductive care.” The proposed “Restoring Essential Healthcare Act” is a direct effort to ensure this access.
2. Target 3.8: “Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services…”
   • The article discusses the federal ban on “Medicaid reimbursements,” which directly impacts financial access to healthcare for low-income individuals. The bill aims to restore this coverage, ensuring patients can access “essential services” like “cancer screenings” and “preventative care.”
3. Target 5.6: “Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights…”
   • The legislation is presented as a defense of the “fundamental right to reproductive freedom and healthcare.” The article highlights that the bill seeks to reverse efforts to “shutter Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health centers,” thereby protecting access to these services as a right.
4. Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices…”
   • The “Restoring Essential Healthcare Act” is a legislative action designed to repeal a specific policy (Section 71113) that proponents argue is discriminatory. The goal is to ensure people can get care “no matter who they are or where they live,” directly addressing the elimination of a policy that creates unequal outcomes.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Number of patients served: The article states that Planned Parenthood provides healthcare to “more than two million people” and that the ban threatens “over a million people’s access.” Tracking this number would indicate the scale of healthcare access.
• Number of clinics at risk: The article specifies that “nearly 200 Planned Parenthood clinics” are at risk of closure. The status of these clinics (open vs. closed) serves as a direct indicator of service availability.
• Status of legislation: The primary indicator for Target 10.3 is the repeal of “Section 71113 of Republicans’ ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’.” The passage of the “Restoring Essential Healthcare Act” would be a definitive measure of success.
• Availability of specific health services: The article repeatedly lists services like “cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, birth control.” The rate at which these services are provided to Medicaid patients can be used as an indicator of access to essential care.
• Flow of federal funding: The core issue is the “federal ban on Medicaid reimbursements.” Therefore, the amount of federal Medicaid funding flowing to Planned Parenthood and similar clinics is a direct financial indicator of restored access.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: friedman.house.gov