Obama Administration to Reverse Bush Rule on 'Conscience' Regulation

This is a very good move on the part of the Obama administration.

Policy Provides Sweeping Federal Protections to Health-Care Workers Who Refuse to Provide Care That Violates Their Beliefs

By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 27, 2009; 11:41 AM

The Obama administration has begun the process of rescinding sweeping new federal protections that were granted in December to health-care workers who refuse to provide care that violates their personal, moral or religious beliefs.

The Office of Management and Budget announced this morning that it was reviewing a proposal to lift the controversial "conscience" regulation, the first step toward reversing the policy. Once the OMB has reviewed the proposal it will be published in Federal Register for a 30-day public comment period.

"We are proposing rescinding the Bush rule," said an official with the Health and Human Services Department, which drafted the rule change.

The administration took the step because the regulation was so broadly written that it could provide protections to health-care workers who object not only to abortion but also to a wide range of health-care services, said the HHS official, who asked not to be named because the process had just begun.

"We've been concerned that the way the Bush rule is written it could make it harder for women to get the care they need. It is worded so vaguely that some have argued it could limit family planning counseling and even potentially blood transfusions and end-of-life care," the official said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/27/AR2009022701104.html?hpid=topnews

:jig:

I take it back Merc. You're not all bad. I am tho.

I did think it was stupid to have the possibility of a pharmacist saying "even though your doctor thought this was a good idea, I can't let you have this stuff".

If they can't fill a legal prescription, maybe pharmacist is the wrong profession for them.

richlevy;539461 wrote:

I did think it was stupid to have the possibility of a pharmacist saying "even though your doctor thought this was a good idea, I can't let you have this stuff".

If they can't fill a legal prescription, maybe pharmacist is the wrong profession for them.

Yep. They'd be better off trying their hand at the clergy.

You should resist the desire to treat people differently when they are ill or injured. The fact is that most do not. I know that some do, but 99% are on the up and up. That was one of the more stuid things Bush ever tried to do at the last minute. I would have been less surprised if he pardoned Libby.

morethanpretty;539455 wrote:

I take it back Merc. You're not all bad. I am tho.

:whip: