Oy freaking vay.
Via both Atrios and Jesus General:
Doctors or other health care providers could not be disciplined or sued if they refuse to treat gay patients under legislation passed Wednesday by the Michigan House.
The bill allows health care workers to refuse service to anyone on moral, ethical or religious grounds.
[snip]
The Conscientious Objector Policy Act would allow health care providers to assert their objection within 24 hours of when they receive notice of a patient or procedure with which they don't agree. However, it would prohibit emergency treatment to be refused.
Three other three bills that could affect LGBT health care were also passed by the House Wednesday which would exempt a health insurer or health facility from providing or covering a health care procedure that violated ethical, moral or religious principles reflected in their bylaws or mission statement.
[snip]
Rep. Chris Kolb (D-Ann Arbor) the first openly gay legislator in Michigan, pointed out that while the legislation prohibits racial discrimination by health care providers, it doesn't ban discrimination based on a person's sexual orientation. (Full story here)
Weeping creeping Jesus. How in the hell can anyone think this is in anyway acceptable? How can any doctor even remotely be comfortable with taking advantage of what this bill would allow them to do? I mean, are any legislators in Michigan even remotely familiar with the Hippocratic Oath?
...I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God...
Representative Richardville (sponsor of this piece of trash) can be emailed here.
The Michigan Catholic Conference can be emailed here. You can also reach them at:
Michigan Catholic Conference
510 South Capitol Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48933
Phone: (517) 372-9310
Fax: (517) 372-3940
Thanks to a poster in the comments at Atrios for the MCC info.
These people need to know just how utterly repulsive this is. Pass it on to friends. Make your voice heard.
posted by Hankblog @ 4/22/2004 12:19:00 PM
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