HHS "Right of Conscience" Regulation Repeal To Be Announced Today

I've been uniformly critical of Obama till now

But I have to admit this is terrific.

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 11:18:56 AM CST

Indeed it is terrific news

You should have seen my daughter's eyes pop when I explained this to her awhile ago, and that using BCP is considered "abortion" in some eyes...

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by: Louise @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 11:53:31 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Made of so much win

This is fantastic. As a childfree woman, I've had a hell of a time with reproductive health care due to ignorant, biased doctors telling me, "Every woman wants children! You just need to find The Right Man!" Grrrrrr. This regulation would have allowed them to refuse me any kind of treatment based on their religious and cultural expectation that they had to protect the welfare of future children I will never have because their pastor said so. As I'm a lesbian, this regulation would have allowed them to say, "I don't believe gay people deserve health care and I won't treat you."

I shudder to think what this could have done to our transgender brothers and sisters. Health care is one of those public access issues; doctors don't get to decide who is "worthy" of treatment and who isn't. This disgusting "conscience clause" flies directly in the face of "First do no harm."

God save ornery old queens! - kevinchi

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by: Keori @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 11:54:28 AM CST

No matter who you are...

even straight, fundie, wasps with lots of money should be scared of this regulation.  The sooner it's gone the better.  I hope "maybe" to "definitely" comes soon.

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by: Marsha @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 12:00:21 PM CST

So simple, so easy, so right.

What a relief.

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 12:32:41 PM CST

interesting

that those who adorn themselves with "What Would Jesus Do?" Paraphenalia are so quick to forget what Jesus DID do.  He died for his beliefs.  Funny how his devotees aren't even willing to be fired for theirs.  

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by: PunkZanyJ @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 12:46:58 PM CST

Right of Conscience applies to armed forces?

So... if you're a soldier in the military, you have the right to refuse to kill or bomb enemy combatants based on your moral beliefs -- let's see how long they'd last in the armed forces

How about a police officer -- if those Christians are under attack at gun point, and a police sharp shooter can shoot and kill the attacker in order to save those Christians, I guess the sharp shooting police man can refuse to shoot on moral grounds?

Thanks to President Obama, we finally can have some reason and rationality back in our government.

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by: minienigma @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 15:14:59 PM CST

We have that here

You probably know the reason from history class.

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by: Chris From Old Europe @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 15:18:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The glow

of Obama I've been basking in since January 21 is still glowing. :) This man has generated more good news in a short time span than we've seen in a loooong time.

Here's what I find about compromise--
don't do it if it hurts inside,
'cause either way you're screwed,
eventually you'll find
you may as well feel good;
you may as well have some pride

--Indigo Girls

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by: Hypatia @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 16:05:27 PM CST

Can't happen soon enough

I can live without my medication, so what scared me was the possibility of getting my head bashed and being denied treatment in the ER.

I am the lizard queen!

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by: RainbowPhoenix @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 16:29:17 PM CST

Kudos for Obama

The right of conscience business in medicine is pure bull-crap.

If you're a pharmacist and don't want to fill morning after prescriptions, then work at a pharmacy where there are always 2 pharmacists on duty, so you don't have to fill those prescriptions.

Right of conscience, or not, I have no problem with a pharmacist handing my prescription to another pharmacist because he or she objects to it.

What I object to is medical professionals intentionally seeking out positions where they have the ability to use a "right of conscience" to deny medication or treatment to people when that means the patient is inconvenienced, embarrassed, intimidated, has to go elsewhere, treatment is delayed, or treatment is denied.

And, a "right of conscience" should be barred even when no taxpayer funds are involved in many circumstances. For example, health care workers (or a hospital) should not be allowed to exercise a right of conscience in an emergency room.

Put simply, if health care organizations or workers don't want to perform some procedures or fill certain prescriptions, it is their responsibility to avoid situations where the issue would come up. For example, if you don't want to deal with contraception or abortion, work in geriatrics.

Health care workers exercising a "right of conscience" is equivalent to a pacifist joining the infantry and then refusing to kill people in battle. If you're a pacifist, there are other things you can do in the armed forces that don't require you to kill people. If you're a health care worker and you have a problem of conscience with certain medical practices, find an area of medicine where you will not be expected to violate your conscience.

To put it very simply, I have no problem with someone exercising their right of conscience as long as the patient's rights trump the right of conscience.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. -- John F. Kennedy (inspired by Dante's Inferno)

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by: oldbrit @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 18:32:50 PM CST

it feels so good

to see those Christianists (and bigots of other religions and atheist bigots) crawl!

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by: avocado @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 19:16:50 PM CST

"And on that day, I'm glad to say...

...they smacked them christians DOWN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

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by: Chris Tucker @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 20:45:15 PM CST

About damn time.

Just sayin'.

Hey, healthcare workers! If you aren't willing to perform all the aspects of your job description, then FIND ANOTHER PROFESSION.

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by: Killer of Sacred Cows @ Sat Feb 28, 2009 at 10:48:45 AM CST

Not so fast

Obama has not said unequivocally that the rule will be rescinded.  Rather, the proposed rescission will be subject to a 30-day public comment period.  Administration officials are open to a possible compromise.  I read an article in the Washington Post that said the rule might be narrowed to only involve abortion.  This despite the fact that medical personnel are already protected by federal law against having to participate in an abortion.  I don't know what the law says, but isn't the Bush rule very broad with regard to the people who can invoke it?  Like, the janitor or the cashier in the hospital cafeteria?  This could still be a nightmare for women and for medical employers.

I don't quite trust Obama with all his post-partisan this and that.  I hope he doesn't compromise on this rule.  It needs to be gone.  

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by: Jan01 @ Sat Feb 28, 2009 at 20:24:47 PM CST