Obama To Overturn Bush ‘Conscience’ Rules : NPR:
The Obama administration is moving to overturn a controversial Bush Bush administration policy that allows health care workers to decline to provide or participate in any service that violates their beliefs.
This is the second abortion-related policy the new administration has tackled. Last month, the president reversed the so-called Mexico City policy, which has barred U.S. foreign assistance funds to international family planning organizations that perform or in any way promote abortion. . . .
Opponents say the regulation was written so broadly that it could allow workers to decline to participate in many other types of sensitive medical procedures — from blood transfusions to end-of-life care. And in parts of the country with few medical providers, those refusals could put patients at risk, those critics contend.
“That rule was so broad that even the cashier at Walgreens could refuse to provide medication for somebody if the cashier decided they have a religious objection,” said Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO).
The Department of Health and Human Services will begin the process to formally rescind the regulation next week, according to Obama administration sources. But it will also call for a 30-day public comment period.
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