From Planned Parenthood:
Planned Parenthood: Proposed HHS Rule Would Compromise Women’s Health Care
“Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, responding to a New York Times story that the Bush administration is considering a new HHS rule that would compromise women’s access to health care and information.
“Planned Parenthood is gravely concerned that the Bush administration is days away from an attack on women’s health care that would limit the rights of patients to receive complete and accurate health information and services. At a time when more and more families are uninsured and under economic assault, we find our health care system is in crisis and our president taking steps to deny access to basic care.
“This proposed rule will put women’s access to birth control and the information they need to make health care decisions at risk. The proposed rule will radically redefine abortion to include some of the most common and effective methods of birth control. As a result, women’s ability to manage their own health care is at risk of being compromised by politics and ideology.
“As one of the leading women’s health care providers and advocates, Planned Parenthood will not stand by and watch the Bush administration deny quality, affordable health care and accurate information to millions of women.””
Planned Parenthood has more info here.
The New York Times story mentioned:
Abortion Proposal Sets Condition on Aid
“The Bush administration wants to require all recipients of aid under federal health programs to certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control.
Under the draft of a proposed rule, hospitals, clinics, researchers and medical schools would have to sign “written certifications” as a prerequisite to getting money under any program run by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Such certification would also be required of state and local governments, forbidden to discriminate, in areas like grant-making, against hospitals and other institutions that have policies against providing abortion.”
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I’d like to say that surely this wouldn’t happen. But considering Bush’s disregard for the Constitution and laws of this country this news doesn’t shock me. It pisses me off sure but does it surprise me? Sadly, no.