Obama to rescind health care workers’ moral choice

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced Feb. 27 plans to rescind regulations that allow health care workers to abstain from performing medical procedures they object to on moral grounds.

The Bush administration authored the rule shortly before leaving office last December, primarily to shield those with religious or moral opposition to abortion. It says health care workers cannot be discriminated against for refusing to participate in objectionable procedures and facilities that do not accommodate employees with objections could lose federal funding.

It is one of several abortion-related measures the new White House is seeking to overturn. In January, the administration changed regulations that had previously forbidden foreign aid from benefiting entities that provide abortion.

Federal law allows health care providers to abstain from performing abortions. The Health and Human Services regulation instituted last year is interpreted to protect additional procedures, like sex-change operations and assisted suicide, as well as possibly even vaccinations and family planning.

Obama administration officials told The Washington Post they believe the rule is too broad and could prevent women from receiving the care they need. They held open the possibility of a more narrow regulation. The White House Office of Management and Budget said it would review the regulation, the first step toward reversing it, and will eventually hold a 30-day comment period before acting. The rule remains in effect until it is reversed.