[Mb-civic] Fwd: SOAPBOX: Conscientious Objector Policy Act

[Paul Gremmler]

The Michigan House has passed a bill that allows health care workers to refuse service to anyone on moral, ethical or religious grounds.  The Conscientious Objector Policy Act (which will now go to the Senate) 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.  

This bill would allow health care workers to discriminate not only based on procedures with which they do not agree, but against patients based on moral or religious grounds.  Hindu, Jewish, homosexual?  Tough luck.  Call it morality, and prejudice completely overrides the Hippocratic oath.      

I was hoping this was a sick April Fool's Day joke, but I poked around and found the actual bill.

I am in complete shock.

Here's one article, and if you google "conscientious objector policy act" you'll find more like it: http://www.proudparenting.com/page.cfm?Sectionid=65&typeofsite=snippetdetail&ID=1204&snippetset=yes

The bill itself:  http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2003-2004/billengrossed/house/htm/2003-HEBH-5006.htm