(Snark Note: I am not a health care provider, but I sometimes play one on the internets.)
From the effective date of the recently published 45 CFR Part 88 I "refuse to participate in providing services that I believe violate my personal, moral or religious beliefs."
I believe that it is a sin against God, nature, my fellow man and woman, and the principles and documents on which this great Nation was founded to charge those that cannot afford it for health care that they need. Starting on the day this Rule becomes effective I will refuse to participate in the billing for such care.
Rule Text is Here: http://www.federalregister.gov/...
(Please refer to the segment entitled "The Final Rule" starting on Page 8 of the Rule for the language from which the following statement of conscience was liberally taken.)
Statement of Conscientious Objection to Billing
I conscientiously object to billing people for health care they need but cannot afford.
I am tired of working in a health care field that is intolerant of my individual objections to these practices, even though these objections reflect my deeply held religious beliefs and moral convictions. This intolerance promotes the mistaken belief that these rights of conscience and self-determination extend to all persons, except health care providers. Gosh darn it, I am sick of it.
Additionally, I know there are many religious and faith-based organizations providing medical care in the United States and some are among the largest providers of health care in this nation. Such institutions often have traditions of issuing clear public guidance which informs the members of their workforces, including physicians having privileges at their institutions, of the parameters under which they should operate in accordance with the organization’s overall mission and ethics as charitable organizations fulfilling Christ's directives to care for the poor as they would care for Christ himself. I just know that these health care institutions also find it morally repugnant to charge for their services and wish they could provide care in a manner more befitting their religious and charitable nonprofit missions.
I am so happy to finally see the Department of Health and Human Services finally coming out of the closet (so to speak) and saying officially that it is committed to its mission of expanding patient access to necessary health care services so that Americans can enjoy healthier, happier, and more productive lives through access to, and appropriate utilization of, all of the life-saving and life improving procedures and services produced by medical innovation.
The new HHS rule implements federal laws protecting health care workers and institutions from being compelled to participate in, or from being discriminated against for refusal to participate in, health services or research activities that may violate their consciences, including billing for health care services, by entities that receive certain funding from the Department.
From the effective date of 45 CFR Part 88 I "refuse to participate in providing billing services because I believe participating in this practice violates my personal, moral or religious beliefs."
I will, of course, certainly be watching closely to see to it that my employer certifies in writing their compliance with this new rule. (HHS says it should only take them 30 minutes, so what the hey.)
All you fellow believers in the estimated 571,947 entities that HHS estimates could be covered, including 4,800 hospitals, 234,000 doctor's offices and 58,000 pharmacies, please join me in this holy crusade. (See page 95 of the Rule for breakdown of these numbers.)
While I wish I could begin this crusade against inhumanity on Christmas Day, I believe the rule is not effective until 30 days after it's publication [Publication Date: 12/19/2008], which would put it right around Innauguration Day, January 20.
What a happy coincidence.
And to you President Bush: Thanks Mr. President. I could not have asked for a better Christmas present.
For information regarding how to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, contact: Vernell Lancaster, (202) 260-7180, Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 533F, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, 20201.
I'm sure they will be happy to hear from you.
In the meantime, let the not-billing begin.