During the recent Birth Control Coverage Kerfuffle, what was left unstated in the question of whether Church-owned or -controlled hospitals should be required to provide contraceptive care (etc.) for women was what the overall impact was.
This article notes how much of our nation's medical care (and governmental medical spending) is routed through Catholic (and Adventist and Baptist) hospitals — which continue to grow and merge and acquire other hospitals, expanding their religious restrictions on what is theologically acceptable, not just regarding contraception and abortion, but "new technologies, end-of-life care choices, vaccination, risk reduction counseling, and even access to scientific information."
And while metro areas like Denver might have a variety of options (if you are, in fact, aware of what care is or is not religiously available at a hospital when you check in), smaller cities and rural areas may have only one hospital with necessary facilities within a reasonable distance. And if that hospital is providing services restricted by religious doctrine, then that effects everyone, regardless of their own religious beliefs.
As the author puts it: 'As you read, consider: “When religion collides with your medical care, who should decide what is right for you?”' The answer as current law continues to put it, seems to be, "Whoever owns the place." #ddtb
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Molecules to Medicine: When Religion Collides with Medical Care: Who Decides What Is Right for You? | Guest Blog, Scientific American Blog Network
The recent presidential candidate debates, fights over insurance coverage for contraceptives, and the Virginia and Texas legislatures’ imposition of intrusive, unnecessary ultrasounds prior to any abo…
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The most difficult part of this is that many of those religious institutions are better than the secular ones. I had my son as a Catholic hospital, one of the best in the area (we have a few) and my daughter at the "general" hospital because I wanted my tubes tied. My care was soo much better at the Catholic hospital (I had 2 c-sections so I was there for quite a few days both times) than at the other one…but I didn't have a huge choice because of wanting my tubes tied. I (and others) shouldn't have to choose quality of care based on someone else's beliefs.
I believe this article makes many good points which tend to get lost in the whole contraception kerfuffle. Some years ago, a friend was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was pretty wide spread. Surgery was not an option, and he decided that he would rather go home and die in the arms of his family, than go through pointless chemo/radiation therapy. The hospital, part of the Catholic Health System, refused to prescribe pain medication and told him if he didn’t want the treatment, they wouldn’t do anything else for him. He didn’t say, “I want to kill myself,” he just asked for some help with the pain. Fortunately, his family was able to connect with Hospice almost immediately. We are lucky in my area to have more than Catholic hospitals, and I hope (and pray) it stays that way.
@Ellie – A fine point.
While I would prefer that folks not violate their moral beliefs in dealing with my needs — if they can’t deal with my needs and (lawful) desires because of their morals, perhaps they’re in the wrong business.
The other consideration is where an insurance company is affiliated with a particular hospital or only considers a given hospital "in-network". In which case you might not have much choice as to where to go (or whose religious beliefs will or won't determine the care you can request or get).