More clarity on proposed abortion rule
Posted on July 30th, 2008 – 10:25 AMBy Josephine Marcotty
Some readers have raised some questions about the proposed federal rule that would redefine abortion, and which could override a state law that requires hospitals to offer rape victims emergency contraception.
Here is some clarity: The rule has not been officially made public, but a draft was leaked to the New York Times two weeks ago. The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which manages federal health care dollars, has declined to respond to questions about it from reporters, including this one. The agency will not say who proposed the changes or why.
If enacted, the rule would not forbid Minnesota hospitals from providing emergency contraception, also known as Plan B. But a hospital or hospital employee could refuse to do so for moral or religious reasons. Hospitals and clinics that require employees to put patient care above their beliefs would be denied federal money from Medicare or Medicaid, or Title 10 funds, which pay for family planning services to low income women.
Doctors offices and family planning clinics like Planned Parenthood would have to accept as employees anyone who believed providing birth control was tantamount to an abortion. They, too, would risk losing federal reimbursements if they “discriminated” against employees on the basis of their moral and religious beliefs.
The process to make this rule official is not clear. HHS said that there is not timetable. But it would work something like this: HHS would publish a proposed rule — which could be the same or be different than the draft version — in the Federal Register, a federal publication. The agency would invite comments from the public and interested parties. After 30 days HHS or President Bush would convene a panel to consider it. HHS could then implement a new rule — or not.
To read more about it you can go here, here and here. For the original New York Times piece, go here.
13 Responses to "More clarity on proposed abortion rule"
Why couldn’t the original article have been this clear?
Probably space constraints. Reporters only have so much room.
First: Thank you, Ms. Marcotty, for pointing out four other sites to read. On a contentious issue, the more information one has, the better.
Second: Reading readers’ comments at the sites, I see a lot of factual misinformation in people’s minds, to say nothing of very strong feelings based largely on misinformation, not medical fact.
An extremely basic fact is that for about a hundred and fifty years, scientists and doctors have known beyond doubt that the individual human life — and therefore pregnancy — begins at fertilization, not implantation. I know the definition was changed, and recently, so that some could claim that medicines and IUD’s, for instance, were not abortifacients, but birth control.
Third: There’s no denying that rape is a terribly traumatic experience. I know personally two women who have been raped. That said, I also know women who have contemplated or had abortions. Those who had the abortions (one dear friend in 1964) regret it to this day. Those who did not have the abortions have never regretted it.
Fourth: in the case of abortion after rape, even considering the trauma of rape on a woman, why should the baby pay with its life for the crime of the father? Better to punish the rapist and give the woman all the support she needs to carry the baby to term, and raise it well or have it adopted. This is what’s being done by the so-called “anti-choice fanatics,” such as Birthright, Cradle of Hope, and the Total Life Clinics.
Thank you.
Who do we contact to change this?
Leah: It really depends on what you mean by “this” and how you’d like it to change.
What has happened (as best I can tell) is that someone leaked a document to a NY Times reporter. That is done and can’t change.
Who leaked it? Why?
Assuming it’s real, it was probably leaked by someone at DHHS. Why depends on who. If it was an “official” leak, then that means it came from the Bush administration. Why might be to stir up the abortion debate without actually doing anything.
Or, if it’s not real, it’s even more likely designed to stir up the debate without actually doing anything.
Maybe it was a clever stunt to increase web traffic.
I was originally going to contact my Senators and House Rep. Now I’m going to read and think more, and save my emails for an occasion when I can ask them to do something specific.
Why should a woman be forced to carry to term that she didn’t want nor consented to (in the case of rape)? It’s not the baby paying for the crime. It’s the woman not condoning the use of her body as an incubator for the offspring of someone who humiliated, defiled and traumatized. It’s very easy for someone to say ‘oh carry it to term and then just give it up for adoption.’ But what about that woman who has to incubate it for 9 months? It’s her body, first and foremost.
Old Bob, I am sorry that your friends still feel sadness or regret about having had abortions, but not all women feel that way. I have had an abortion and while it was a decision I would have preferred not to have to make, I felt and still feel that it was the right one. However, I would never presume to tell a woman that because I feel that way about having had an abortion that she will feel the same way about having one.
Anyone else notice that what Old Bob calls “an extremely basic fact” is:
-Not “an” single anything, but several points
-Not extremely basic, but includes several technical terms
-Not fact, but largely opinion and interpretation
So what’s to stop someone from saying, “I’m a Christian, and Jews killed Christ, so I don’t want to provide any medical care to anyone that’s a Jew?” I’m sure that White Supremicists could also make a similar argument against treating blacks, and Black people could refuse to treat whites based on the history of slavery! What kind of world do we live in that would allow such insanity???
Oh, that’s right - the world that Reublicans have been allowed to foist on us.
It’s time to take back our country!
I know - let’s all stop treating Republicans and say it’s due to our religious beliefs and see how far we’d get.
Dad, how the hell did you escape the old-folks home again? I thought we told the local internet cafe to not let you get online anymore! You know when you get off your meds you lie like a rug! You don’t know anyone who’s had an abortion, and having been a science teacher, it’s shameful that you’d perpetuate the idea that somehow a clump of cells with absolutely NO brain (let alone brain activity) has the same importance than an adult human has.
You know we’ll catch you and put you back in the home. Rest assured, we’ll make sure your restraints are better set next time so you don’t make a fool of yourself again.
I hope, at least, that you’ve had someone changing your diapers - or at least have been staying away from liver and onions. You know how nasty your dappies get when you eat that!
J, thank you.
Josh and Young Bob, you helped make my point.
Old Bob, you’re welcome. I hope maybe you will consider what I’ve said. I think it’s very sad when a woman has an abortion against her will, whether because she feels she has no other options, or because of pressure from another person or persons. But I think it is equally unfortunate, for women and children alike, when a woman has a child because she feels that she has no other choice. While not many people may feel comfortable expressing regret over having had a child, I cannot help but wonder if some of the children I read about in the news who are killed or maimed by parental abuse are children of mothers who regret having had them. Obviously that’s pure speculation on my part.
J, you have a very good point, and it may be that your speculation comes close to the truth.
Being 64, and having talked to many parents and grandparents in my time, I can tell you that almost all of them have many moments of regret, especially when the kids are teenagers. “Life begins when the last kid leaves home.”
I know from working with and for one of the Total Life Clinics, that a high percentage of the women who come in the door with a pregnancy they didn’t want, think they have no option but abortion; and many of those are being pressured to abort by boyfriends, husbands, even parents. The clinics give them options, including help with rent, food, prenatal care, layettes, diapers, baby food, etc.
Well, I could go on and on: I’ve been up to my eyeballs in this issue for forty years.
I wish you well.
