Until the last second…

Effectively, until midnight April 9, all citizens have the opportunity to voice their concerns about HHS’s proposal to rescind conscience protection laws for health care providers. And while the clock’s ticking, those who understand what’s happening might want to let others know that false claims are being made to assure people the language in the proposal still protects the medical field.

Some administration officials, even some congressional representatives, (and commentors on some blogs) are making this claim. They’re either intentionally duping people, or (in maybe a few cases) have read this proposal too quickly. These pdf documents do lend themselves to quick skims.

If you did that, you’d think this plan as enunciated (from about page 4) in the regulation “Ensuring That Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law”…(and even the wording of the title, though bulky)….still upholds conscience protections.

But look again, at what this is. There, under the line headed “Department of Health and Human Services”, after a few index numbers, is the statement that this a

Rescission of the Regulation Entitled “Ensuring That Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law”

proposal. (Emphasis added)

So all that good language protecting the rights of health care providers to exercise conscientious medicine according to their ethical and moral standards…..is what’s being rescinded, if this proposal goes through.

An actively engaged writer sent me a note this morning saying she’s personally been told twice by someone at HHS that

Letters to HHS postmarked by 11:59 p.m. on April 9 and e-mails sent and phone messages left by that time will definitely be considered, but likely some letters, and possibly some e-mails, and calls after that deadline will also be considered, but there’s no guarantee regarding how long after April 9 new comments to HHS will be considered.

The HHS worker

also mentioned the possibility that there may be another public comments period coming if they propose a revised health care providers’ conscience rule.

So stay alert. Read these proposals carefully. And since some of our congressional representatives have admittedly been too overloaded lately to read all the details of what they’re voting on, help them out. This one’s clear.