Bush Administration Pushes Through Last-Minute HHS Rule New Rule Risks Women's Health

Source: http://www.reproductiverights.org

18.12.2008 New York, NY- Just over a month before President George W. Bush's departure from office, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today issued a new regulation that will drastically hinder women's ability to get reproductive health services—including basic care such as contraception, counseling and information necessary to make decisions about their own health. The new regulation allows people only tangentially related to the provision of health care and an increased number of medical institutions to refuse a woman care based on religious and moral beliefs. HHS claims this will further protect health care providers against discrimination; but in reality, it leaves women who rely on public programs unprotected and seriously violates their rights and needs as patients. HHS also purposely leaves the door open for health care providers to justify refusing a woman basic forms of contraception such as birth control pills and IUDs.

"The Center for Reproductive Rights strongly opposes HHS' new regulation and calls on the new administration to take immediate steps to rescind this extremely harmful policy come January. We hope that Congress will take up the issue as well and we applaud Senators Hillary Clinton and Pat Murray for already introducing legislation that will block HHS from moving forward with the rule," Center President Nancy Northup said today in a statement.