Blocking Care for Women : NYT editorial by HRC

[FloridaJudy]

As far as I can tell this hasn't been posted yet. It needs to be shouted from the rooftops. Thank you, Senator Clinton.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/opinion/19clinton.html?em

Blocking Care for Women

By HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON and CECILE RICHARDS
Published: September 18, 2008

LAST month, the Bush administration launched the latest salvo in its eight-year campaign to undermine women’s rights and women’s health by placing ideology ahead of science: a proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that would govern family planning. It would require that any health care entity that receives federal financing — whether it’s a physician in private practice, a hospital or a state government — certify in writing that none of its employees are required to assist in any way with medical services they find objectionable.

Laws that have been on the books for some 30 years already allow doctors to refuse to perform abortions. The new rule would go further, ensuring that all employees and volunteers for health care entities can refuse to aid in providing any treatment they object to, which could include not only abortion and sterilization but also contraception.

Health and Human Services estimates that the rule, which would affect nearly 600,000 hospitals, clinics and other health care providers, would cost $44.5 million a year to administer. Astonishingly, the department does not even address the real cost to patients who might be refused access to these critical services. Women patients, who look to their health care providers as an unbiased source of medical information, might not even know they were being deprived of advice about their options or denied access to care.

[Political Tiger]

1. Hillary is right! n/t

[chupacabranation]

2. Holy. Effing. Crap.

I don't understand how this is okay.

If this doesn't apply to the other Agencies, it shouldn't apply to DHHS.

[AmyDeLune]

3. If a medical worker can't uphold the Hippocratic Oath because of their own "ethics"

they need to find another line of work.
I'm sure not one of these health care providers will have any ethical problem with prescribing Viagra or any other boner pill. *bleh*

[FloridaJudy]

4. I'd like to see Clinton head HHS

I wonder if Obama will consider it.

[endthewar]

6. Not likely

They had such a bitter disagreement during the primaries revolving around their health care plans. Hillary even accused Obama of having a health care plan not worthy of a presidential candidate for the Democratic Party.

On a side note, many economists think that Obama's health care plan may be put on temporary hold if the economy continues to worsen. There just wouldn't be enough money.

[endthewar]

5. For anyone who might think that Hillary wants McCain to win in 2008

this article pretty much sums it up. It seems to me that it must be a living hell to be a Democratic Senator with a Republican administration. As painful as this article was to read, it was probably even MORE painful for Hillary to write.

[MasonJar]

7. Hillary has been working for many years to improve Americans'

health care system. Hopefully the dems will have a majority in both houses of Congress large enough to do some real change.

[Maven]

8. K/R

[Kind of Blue]

9. I don't know if this is in any relation to what Bush is trying to do

but last month, here in California, the State Supreme Court ruled in favor of Guadalupe Benitez, a gay woman from San Diego, saying state doctors cannot withhold elective procedures after Benitez was refused artificial insemination based on the doctor's religious beliefs. Within a week, I heard about what the administration was trying to do and couldn't help linking the two actions.

It's just so appalling that women may have to surrender the right to govern their bodies to complete strangers or may have to go searching for health care providers that will not judge. I mean, I can't imagine a receptionist refusing to schedule an appointment for me because I want birth control pills. Or a pharmacist refusing to fill a prescription he/she believes is morally objectionable. What if a woman lived in a fundie community, a rural community, or poor community? What can she do? This is a costly and useless and shitty piece of a proposal. I don't understand these people; why even enter the profession when they know good and well what their duties entail?

[Triana]

10. SIGN THIS PETITION against this proposed rule!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=229&topic_id=10499&mesg_id=10499

[dgibby]

11. So, taken to it's logical conclusion

this could include any procedure, including blood transfusions, CPR, etc. Good luck with that! K&R