US agency details doctor protections ahead of March for Life
The announcements coincided with the annual March for Life on
HHS said it is proposing a new regulation that details how existing federal conscience protections will be enforced in real-world situations. That follows an announcement Thursday of a new division in the
The new rule is "meant to ensure full compliance with laws that have been under-enforced," said
Under the regulation, hospitals, universities, clinics and other entities that receive funding from HHS programs like Medicare and Medicaid will have to certify that they comply with some 25 federal laws protecting conscience and religious rights. Most of these laws address medical procedures such as abortion, sterilization and assisted suicide. Violations could result in loss of federal funding.
Also Friday, HHS took action that may help conservative states cut or eliminate Medicaid funding for
However, states are still required to set "reasonable" standards in determining which medical providers can participate in their Medicaid programs. In addition to providing abortions,
The HHS action follows last year's failure by congressional
"This will free up states to once again decide for themselves what reasonable standards may be appropriate," said
In a statement,
In Charlotte, thousands of angry women marched. That was only the beginning.
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