Obama administration replaces controversial 'conscience' regulation for health-care workers

[tammywammy]

Obama administration replaces controversial 'conscience' regulation for health-care workers

The Obama administration rescinded most of a federal regulation Friday designed to protect health workers who refuse to provide care they find objectionable on personal or religious grounds.

The Health and Human Services Department eliminated nearly the entire rule put into effect by the administration of President George W. Bush during his final days in office that was widely interpreted as allowing such workers to opt out of a broad range of medical services, such as providing the emergency contraceptive Plan B, treating gay men and lesbians and prescribing birth control to single women.

Calling the Bush-era rule "unclear and potentially overbroad in scope," the new, much narrower version essentially leaves in place only long-standing federal protections for workers who object to performing abortions or sterilizations. It also retains the Bush rule's formal process for workers to file complaints.

"The department supports clear and strong conscience protections for health-care providers who are opposed to performing abortions," the rule states.
-snip-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/18/AR2011021803251.html?wpisrc=nl_natlalert

[uppityperson]

1. K&R and good for them

[niyad]

2. wow, and it only took them two years. absolutely stunning speed of reversal there.

[cally]

3. YEAH!!!

Finally some good news :woohoo:

[tammywammy]

4. On a day when there's so much anti-reproductive choice news from the House

This was most definitely a good article to read. :)