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Dozens of Florida doctors sign letter urging health care companies to stop donating to anti-abortion lawmakers

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The letter says, the “ban will deny Floridians access to essential health care."

The letter, sent to companies including United Healthcare, Florida Hospital Association and Florida Blue, says companies need to make a choice between a responsibility to patients and politicians who have "put reproductive healthcare at risk."

The advocacy group Floridians for Reproductive Freedom, says state-based corporations, including health care companies, have donated 1.7 million dollars to anti-abortion lawmakers.

Dozens of Florida medical professionals have signed on to a letter the group sent to several health care companies, condemning them for donating money to politicians who supported a ban on abortions after 15 weeks.

"When you support politicians who pass laws that make it so that patients literally can't get the health care they need in Florida, there's no clearer route to undermining the health of the people you are stating that you serve," said Dr. Sujatha Prabhakaran, a Sarasota-based OBGYN.

Prabhakaran said she's already seeing the implications of Florida's 15-week abortion ban.

"I had a patient who thought that she was 12 weeks, turned out that she was actually 14 weeks and six days, and because there's also a 24-hour waiting period now, we weren't able to provide her care so she had to travel out of state.”

The letter was sent last week. To date there has been no response.

As a reporter, my goal is to tell a story that moves you in some way. To me, the best way to do that begins with listening. Talking to people about their lives and the issues they care about is my favorite part of the job.
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