The ACLU has filed a law suit against the Catholic Conference of Catholic bishops in regard to health care given (or not given) to women in regard to their reproductive needs
when these women go to a Catholic hospital.
There are a growing numbers of Catholic hospitals in this country, and in rural areas, a Catholic hospital may be the only one available.
The suit, filed in late November, argues that the Catholic Bishops' religious directives for hospitals--which generally bar discussion or performance of abortions--result in negligent care for patients...
This lawsuit says that women are not getting the care they need (for example, in a emergency situation) because of the religious restrictions in a Catholic hospital.
“As the number of Catholic hospitals increases, we’re highlighting the way they can constrain care,” Louise Melling, ACLU deputy legal director, said. “The suit is significant in that it's calling attention to what is happening at these hospitals. In some instances, the directives are governing care rather than medical guidelines.”
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It will be interesting to see how this lawsuit develops, as there are many different legal issues involved regarding patient care at Catholic hospitals.