If Your Hospital’s Janitor Has Moral Objections To Your Abortion, They Can Refuse To Give It To You!

[kpete]

08.21.08
HHS Now Says That If Your Hospital’s Janitor Has Moral Objections To Your Abortion, They Can Refuse To Give It To You!

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Proposed HHS Regulation Could Still Be Used to Block Access to Contraception, Other Health Services»

HHS has released its proposed regulation to “help protect health care providers from discrimination.” The good news is it no longer attempts to re-define abortion to include birth control. But don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. The regulation no longer defines pregnancy or abortion at all. But Sec. Mike Leavitt indicated in the press conference that individuals might be able to define those terms for themselves in determining what they find morally objectionable, which means they still may be able to deny women access to oral contraceptives, emergency contraception, and the IUD, among other commonly used methods of birth control.

And that’s just the beginning.

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Finally, the proposed regulation would extend protection from doctors and nurses to just about anyone who might come into contact with a patient, and even some who might not.

An employee whose task it is to clean the instruments used in a particular procedure would be considered to assist in the performance of the particular procedure.

By that logic, an ambulance driver, a receptionist, and even the person who processes health insurance forms might be able to refuse to perform their jobs if related to a health care service they find morally objectionable. Volunteers are explicitly protected too.

http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/08/21/hhs-regulation/

[jeff30997]

1. But what if...

the Hospital’s Janitor is a Jehovah's Witness and has moral objections to

blood transfusion ?

That's sick!!!

[stillcool]

2. that's one way to cut down..

on health care cost..let us pray

[soothsayer]

3. Go to Canada and you can get an abortion in 24 hrs. They have total rights for women

on this.

[MadHound]

4. Nice if you have the money,

However there are millions of women who don't have that kind of cash.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. anti-choicers would just need to get 1 employee on the staff of every hospital...

[Seldona]

6. My first thought when I read it.

Pretty soon you are going to have only a handful of hospitals in the country that are able and willing to perform the abortion. Even those will be under attack every time they hire new staff. Now what to do about it?

[SidDithers]

7. I don't think hospital janitors should be performing abortions...nt

Sid