We've been blogging about PA House Bill 288 since June. The idea of the bill is very simple:
House Bill 288 requires all Pennsylvania hospitals to provide information and access to emergency contraception medication to rape victims if they request it.It's so freaking simple and straightforward that some idiots in the Pennsylvania House can't keep their stupid hands off of it. Or rather, it has such widespread public support that the opposition is running scared and will try anything to water it down.
The latest amendment is by Rep. Grucela:
Grucela introduced an amendment which "allows" a victim to call an immediate family member about her assault, who would be expected to bring emergency contraception to the hospital, rather than have it provided by the medical professionals in charge of her care.I'm sorry, but can you name any other circumstance in which a hospital lets family members give drugs to patients willy-nilly in an emergency room? Can you say LIABILITY?
Do you know of any other class of patients who are expected to have family members treat them in an emergency room?!?
Why is it if she's a victim of rape, she's subjected to a lesser standard of medical care!?
And, what if she's there because she was incested? What "immediate family member" is she supposed to call?
This is un-freaking-real.
Please call your House member and make sure they have the facts straight!
Please take a moment to call today to get your legislator on record!Support House Bill 288 with the Ross amendment. Oppose the Grucela amendment, and any additional amendments to the bill. If your legislator happens to be Rep. Grucela, let his office know you are appalled that he would even consider an amendment that puts the burden of care on the victim rather than medical providers.
You can find your legislator at:
http://www.ppaction.org/planned_pa/leg-lookup/search.html
And then, let Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania Advocates know you called here so they can track the support.
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3 comments:
it just really makes me sick to my stomach.
really!
I'm pro-life and that is a really STUPID amendment. It violates HIPAA laws,
I'm a little unclear as to why the Ross Amendment is favored. This amendment, named for Rep. Chris Ross, "would let hospitals meet that requirement [EC] by hiring a contractor. It also would allow doctors who are morally opposed to the pill to refrain from providing it as long as their hospital made it otherwise available." (Source: http://www.ippf.org/NR/exeres/408AB649-39DD-48A0-8461-F2B0F1593F80.htm)
I appears to me that this amendment waters down the impact of the bill and allows people to practice bad medicine while hiding behind religious sentiment.
Does anyone else have more details on the Ross Amendment?
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