Thirteen state attorneys general wrote a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services Wednesday in protest of a rule recently proposed by the Bush Administration to prohibit employer or medical society retaliation against a health care professional who opposes abortion for religious or moral reasons. The proposed rule would require certification by hospital, medical office and nursing home employers that the employer’s practices comply with federal law in protecting the conscience of health care workers. Violations could result in losing future government funding and a recovery of funds already received. Specifically, the rule was designed to enforce protection of the conscience of health care workers found in three federal laws, which under certain circumstances offer protection for parties who participate in abortions as well as those who do not.
The attorneys general claim the rule, which is applicable to employers receiving government money, vaguely defines abortion in a way that could be interpreted to include birth control, and is a threat to institutions who provide services to victims of rape. The states involved in the protest are Connecticut, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont.
Source: http://www.lexisone.com/news/ap/ap092408s.html
Tags: Abortion, Conscience Protection
