New Rule Protects Pro-Life Health Care Providers
- Kevin Freking - Christian Post Reporter
- Dec 19, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration, in its final days, issued a federal rule reinforcing protections for doctors and other health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions and other procedures because of religious or moral objections.
Critics of the rule say the protections are so broad they limit a patient's right to get care and accurate information. For example, they fear the rule could make it possible for a pharmacy clerk to refuse to sell birth control pills or AIDS medication and face no ramifications from an employer.
Under long-standing federal law, institutions may not discriminate against individuals who refuse to perform abortions or provide a referral for one. The administration's rule, issued Thursday, is intended to ensure that federal funds don't flow to providers who violate those laws, Health and Human Services officials said.
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