Comment | Catholic hospitals are expanding – and denying them essential health care

Here are some reasons For most patients, it does not apply: “God’s purposes,” “God’s will,” “the truth that life is a precious gift from God.”

But if our hypothetical patient is in a Catholic hospital, those factors — precisely those words — will control the decision. She or her doctor He believes in God’s plan. It is clearly written in Ethical guidelines United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “Permanent or temporary sterilization of either men or women is not permitted in Catholic health care facilities.” No matter how medically safe and legal it is, you wouldn’t have the surgery if you wanted to.

Apparently, she had to choose a different hospital. But with the spread of Catholic health systems across the country, this may not be an option. A 2020 report According to Community Catalyst, a nonprofit health advocacy group, four of the nation’s 10 largest health systems are Catholic. of Catholic Health Association Currently, Catholic institutions account for more than 1 in 7 hospital patients in the United States, he said.

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That number is likely to grow as Catholic health systems expand through mergers or acquisitions with secular hospitals and networks. This consolidation is happening near me, in the Albany, NY, area. According to the Times Union It was recently reportedPart of the Catholic Network of St. Peter’s Health Partners, one of our largest health systems It’s starting to mix. Ellis Hospital and Bellevue Women’s Center, which provides pregnancy and birth care, “God’s Will,” with the secular Ellis Medical.

This means that there will be no tubal ligation for contraceptive purposes. It also means no abortions, vasectomies, IUDs or in vitro fertilization. It could potentially limit choices in end-of-life care and end gender-affirming care.

Although she still has a choice of hospitals — the patient decides where to have her C-section — He may not even know this. Why can a non-profit hospital, bankrolled by large state and federal funds, legally withhold health care from its patients?

But that’s what happens when the church has the final say on medical decisions. In addition to hospitals, urgent care centers and physician practices that are part of the Catholic network may be willing to prescribe birth control or provide abortion services or counseling.

Starting with the 2019 Reproductive Health Act, New York State legalized abortion rights to protect reproductive rights. As the case may be, the state will pass abortion restrictions Roe v. WadeFailure, I often think, selfishly, thank goodness I live in New York.

But I still live in a community of religious observance where laws are broken and citizens are denied basic services until a person is determined the way God wants them to be.

Some lawmakers are pushing back. A recent account Sponsored by New York state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, which has passed the Senate and awaits an Assembly vote, it requires hospitals to publish a list of “Exclusions based on policy” they explained in detail the care they do not provide on their website. In Oregon, New law It gives state authorities the power to block hospital mergers that affect access to health care.

But under these efforts, the idea that Catholic hospitals are within their rights to deny care remains unchallenged. Religious organizations do not have to adhere to secular standards, even if they receive public funding.

Blue states? A secular country? no matter. The most shocking recent evidence that even New Yorkers live in a state God knows best is the damning New York Times. Report In the state’s Hasidic schools, they teach Jewish law and tradition but little English or math. In 2019, 99 percent of the thousands of Hasidic men who took state standardized tests failed. Meanwhile, yeshivas of New York accept. Abundant education funding – “over $1 billion” in government funding over the past four years. Religious leaders teach their students the “Healthy basic educationPolitical leaders agreed.

Or at least they did. New York State Board of Regents recently They voted to ask Private schools risk losing public funding to ensure they are teaching the basics. Whether this law will be enforced remains to be seen. But it’s a start.

I’d like to see the New York State Department of Health take a similar approach to health networks: Make sure you’re giving patients the best possible care, state law has implemented, and the Affordable Care Act is deemed necessary. , and you get your tax-free exemptions and Medicaid payments.

And if you happen to have a patient who believes birth control is against God’s will? She can choose not to have her tubes tied.