HHS acts on violations of conscience protection
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Two U.S. bishop s committee said Dec. 17 they strongly commend the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services taking corrective action against a Vermont medical center and the state of California for violating federal conscience protection laws when it comes to abortion.
WASHINGTON Two U.S. bishop’s committee said Dec. 17 they “strongly commend” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services taking “corrective action” against a Vermont medical center and the state of California for violating federal conscience protection laws when it comes to abortion.
In the first case, HHS’s Office for Civil Rights said Dec. 16 it has referred the University of Vermont Medical Center to the Department of Justice for a lawsuit over forcing a nurse to assist in an abortion procedure in violation of the nurse’s conscience rights.
December 18, 2020
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) made two announcements regarding conscience protection. First, HHS announced that it will “disallow $200 million in federal Medicaid funds going to California in the upcoming quarter due to the state illegally mandating that all healthcare plans subject to regulation by the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) cover abortion without exclusion or limitation.”
In addition, they announced that they have referred the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC) to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for enforcement after an investigation of UVMMC’s violation of conscience protection laws.
The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) today directed health plans regulated by the Department to remove administrative burdens on hospitals during the COVID-19 surge. This includes directing plans to take immediate steps to reduce or remove unnecessary barriers to the efficient admission, transfer, and/or discharge of health plan enrollees.
“Hospitals and providers are on the frontlines of California’s battle in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic,” said DMHC Director Mary Watanabe. “As California experiences a historic surge in the number of COVID-19 cases, the number of people being treated in hospital intensive care units is increasing and expected to continue to increase over the coming weeks. Health plans must remove unnecessary administrative barriers to help hospitals quickly respond to the unfolding crisis and enable hospital staff to provide the most efficient care possible to seriously ill patients.”
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kan., chairman of the U.S. bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities, processes at the conclusion of the opening Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life Jan. 23, 2020, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. (CNS/Long Island Catholic/Gregory A. Shemitz)
Washington Two U.S. bishop s committee chairmen said Dec. 17 they strongly commend the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services taking corrective action against a Vermont medical center and the state of California for allegedly violating federal conscience protection laws when it comes to abortion.