Obama Guts Health Care Conscience Regulation

Obama Guts Health Care Conscience Regulation
In pursuit of the truth – www.cinopsbegone.com – Sunday, April 3, 2011

Preface: This taken from an article in the “National Right to Life News” Feb. 2011, by Jonathan Imbody, V.P. for government relations for the “Christian Medial Association” www.cmda.org .

“On February 18 the Obama Administration gutted the only federal regulation protecting conscientious health care professional discrimination. [It was put there by the previous Bush administration.] …

“The administration radical action again suggests tone deafness to the American public. Of the over 300,000 comments HHS [Health and Human Services] received regarding rescission, twice as many opposed rescission as supported it.

“The Polling Company in 2009 conducted a nationwide scientific polling of the public and also of faith-based health care professionals. The results revealed that:

•An overwhelming 63% of the public supported the conscience protection regulation whereas only 28% opposed the conscience protection regulation

•Only 30% indicated support for the Obama Administration’s plan to rid of the regulation, whereas 62% opposed the administration’s plan.

•88% of the American adults said it is either “very” or “somewhat” important to them that they share a similar set of morals as their doctors, nurses, and other health care providers.

•Nine of ten faith-based physicians agreed, “I would rather stop practicing medicine altogether than be forced to violate my conscience.” [Doing abortions etc.]

In other words, faith-based health care professionals and institutions are ready to walk away from medicine if denied the ability to practice medicine according to conscientiously held ethical beliefs… The recent regulatory action makes all the more vital passing bills pending in the 112th Congress to protect health care access with conscience protection.

For example, the No-Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3), offered by Rep. Chris Smith (R. N.J.); the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358), offered by Rep Joe Pitts (R-Pa.); and the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 361) offered by Rep. John Fleming (R-La), all forbid discrimination related to abortion, in certain context.

Abortion ideology has taken root in much of medical academia and health care institutions and has resulted in both overt and subtle discrimination that laws alone cannot adequately address. Civil rights laws by themselves, it should be remembered, did not protect minorities from many forms of discrimination.

True civil rights protection requires cultural change. A long-term program of education within the medical community and in the public is needed to help build awareness among conscientious health care professionals of their civil rights and a respect for all those rights by all…

George H. Kubeck – Sadly, the CINOP [Catholic-in-name-only politician] in the 112th Congress votes also to take away conscience protection for health care workers. This is a horrendous scandal and shame upon the Catholic community throughout the nation.