New Orleans Catholic Leaders Call For Action On Health Reform, State Opposition To Abortion

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 24 Aug 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes and Bishop Gregory Aymond on Wednesday issued a joint statement to encourage Congress to enact health reform legislation that "ensures access to basic health care for all" but omits taxpayer subsidies for abortion services, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Like several other Catholic bishops nationwide, Hughes and Aymond did not endorse any of the current reform proposals.

Hughes and Aymond outlined several broad objectives that they hope to see in the final reform bill, such as measures that extend universal health coverage and rein in health care costs. They also called for the exclusion of taxpayer subsidies for "abortion, euthanasia or other immoral activities," and "conscience protection" that would allow medical workers to decline involvement in certain procedures they consider morally or ethically objectionable.

Hughes and Aymond did not indicate if they had a preference for a private or public plan option. They also rejected what they described as "shrill rhetoric" that has dominated the reform debate so far (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 8/20).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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