MA Gov may let Catholic hospitals deny morning-after pill to rape victims

[papau]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/07/romney_is_said_to_plan_limits_on_polluter_funds


Romney administration is interjecting some rules for Catholic hospitals in light of the "morning after pill" legislation that is supposed to go into effect next week.


Gov may let Catholic hospitals deny morning-after pill to rape victims
By Jessica Heslam and Maggie Mulvihill
Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - Updated: 08:01 AM EST

The Romney administration is about to issue rules allowing Catholic hospitals to evade compliance with the state’s controversial new emergency contraception law.

“Mitt Romney has been trying to stand in the way of this law from Day One and this sounds like the next step in his campaign to undermine necessary health care for rape victims,” said Angus McQuilken, spokesman for Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.

The new law goes into effect next week and requires Bay State hospitals to offer rape victims the so-called morning-after pill. It also allows pharmacists to give out the pill, called Plan B, without a prescription. Massachusetts becomes the eighth state with such a law.

Commissioner of Public Health Paul Cote said yesterday the department is drafting regulations regarding the implementation of the law to be sent to hospitals “as close to Dec. 14 as possible.”

But Cote said private hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, will have the right to “opt out” if the new law is “at odds” with their mission. Cote cited a decades-old morality law that says private hospitals aren’t required to provide services, such as abortions or contraceptive devices, if “contrary to the religious or moral principles” of the hospital’s charter. <snip>

A third of the state’s Catholic hospitals already offer the morning-after pill, which can halt pregnancy if taken within 72 hours.

[LynneSin]

1. Go for it Mitt, let's tank your popularity even more

I mean 40% approval rating is still to high for you and we want to make our win in 2006 and boot you to the street with much relative ease!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Romney is against victim's rights

That's the only way to play this. A woman who is raped is the victim of a crime. To deny her the right NOT to have to carry a rapist's child to term is persecuting a victim.

[graywarrior]

3. He is not running for another term, is he?

[HereSince1628]

4. Tough call to force a religious order to act against its beliefs

Seems like a good reason for rape victims to get visited by a public health nurse in the first 24 hours to see if Plan-B is needed before time runs out.

[cap]

5. Nope... MA is heavily Catholic and heavily pro-choice

if you dont want to be in the hospital business, just say so.

In rural areas, you dont have much choice. You also may not be physically in the condition to change hospitals in order to get the pill after being raped.

[tocqueville]

6. different conception of "separation" of Church and State

in France or Sweden (though recently separated) a person or an institution cannot perform an act which is illegal by SECULAR law.

Because if you don't apply this principle, you can soon have polygamy, female circumsision, refusal to serve muslims - you name it. Just name a religious motive.

The 1st amendment is incomplete. Not promoting a religion is only a part of secularity. To be a secular country the USA must pass a law that forbids the use of religious motives OVER secular law. Religion cannot override law. Religion is a PRIVATE matter.

If there are catholic hospitals to be, they can fill an extra function for some and that's good. But they cannot be their own Vatican. Either they abide Federal and state law, or they go into pizza business.

[MountainLaurel]

7. Then they should lose their medical licenses

And hospital certifications, if they aren't going to provide needed medical care.