SAN ANTONIO — As the U.S. Supreme Court nears an official decision on Roe v. Wade, Vice President Kamala Harris Tuesday sought policy input from abortion providers who work in states with strict bans on the practice.
Dr. Bhavik Kumar, a physician based in Houston, told Harris that Texans have lived in "a post-Roe world" for nine months. The state's ban on abortions after a doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat took effect in Sept.
"Thousands of people have been forced to travel out of the state and go through the gauntlet of logistics," said Kumar, who's performed abortions in San Antonio.
He spoke to KENS 5 after the closed-door, virtual meeting with Harris.
The roundtable discussion comes as Democrats attempt to rally voters in support of some pro-choice candidates.
If the high court overturns Roe, Kumar said doctors across the nation will need to network so they can efficiently direct women to appropriate states with operating clinics.
"Those of us in restrictive states are doing what we can," he said. "Those of us in permissive states are trying to expand care as much as possible, knowing there's a lot of people who will be travelling for care."
Kumar said his patients are often anxious and scared. He worried he cannot provide the best care for each woman he treats.
"It feels very unethical and it is very heavy," he said.
