Bush Abortion Proposal Raises Ire of Health Groups

hhs Opposition is building to a Bush administration proposal that would give health providers more leverage to refuse to participate in abortions or other treatments they oppose on religious or moral grounds.

As the New York Times describes it, the proposed rule (online here) requires hospitals, clinics and other entities that receive federal funds to certify in writing that they are adhering to laws that allow health-care workers to refuse to perform abortions. And it would prohibit recipients of federal money from discriminating against providers docs, nurses and others who make such refusals.

The rule would also prevent hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices and pharmacies from requiring workers with similar objections to “assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity” financed by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Those who object to the proposal say such protections are already in place and the rule would confuse employers. Adding their voices to the opposition are three big shots at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, including its top lawyer, a Bush appointee, who “said the proposal would overturn 40 years of civil rights law prohibiting job discrimination based on religion,” the Times reports.