On May 23, 1991, the US Supreme Court upheld federal regulations that
prohibit federally funded family planning programs from counseling abo
ut or referring for abortion. As a result, government benefits may now
entail substantial costs. The regulations changed the nature of gover
nment-assisted family planning from comprehensive care and counseling
to limited services and government-prescribed information. The reasoni
ng in Rust v Sullivan allows government to limit freedom of speech in
federally funded programs. The decision may have been influenced by an
tiabortion sentiment, but it does not affect the legality of abortion.
Instead, it sets a precedent for government control of whether and ho
w health care can be discussed wherever government pays some of the bi
lls.