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Contraceptive Mandates Violate Health Care Right of Conscience S. 104 To require equitable coverage of prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, and contraceptive services under health plans.IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 22, 2001 Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. REID, Mr. WARNER, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. JEFFORDS, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. SPECTER, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. WELLSTONE, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. HARKIN, Mrs. CLINTON, and Mr. CORZINE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions H. R. 1111IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMarch 20, 2001 Mr. GREENWOOD (for himself, Mrs. LOWEY, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Mr. WEINER, Mr. SHAYS, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. OSE, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. BOEHLERT, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. BLAGOJEVICH, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. ALLEN, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. STARK, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. FRANK, Mr. OLVER, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. BENTSEN, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. BARRETT, Mr. HOLT, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. SOLIS, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. FILNER, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. SANCHEZ, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. NADLER, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. EVANS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. CUMMINGS, and Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILLBe it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, I am submitting this written testimony on the above bills, representing the Christus Mediucus Foundation and the citizens of this great country of the USA. The purpose of my testimony is threefold: 1) to explain why I am submitting this testimony, 2) to provide information to this committee on the impact that this legislation will have on undermining parental rights, doing physical and emotional harm to our children and forcing many Americans to violate their right of conscience by subsidizing drugs that are contrary to their moral and religious convictions, and 3) to express the urgency for S. 104/H.R. 1111 to be defeated so that Americans will have the freedom of "conscientious choice" in selecting their health plan. I am Michael O'Dea, of Senator Carl Levin's and Congressman Joseph Knollenberg's home district in Southfield, MI. I am married and father of seven children, of which five are adopted. I am here to represent my family and other families in the state of Michigan. I have been in the trenches in sales, sales management and consulting in the health care industry for over 31 years, the last 14 years as a consultant and management resource on health insurance matters. I also founded and have been involved with Mother & Unborn Baby Care, a non-profit organization, that assists mothers faced with a crisis pregnancy. This particular issue of health care mandates and right of conscience became an issue to me back in 1987 when I was counseling a pregnant teenager and her mother at Mother and Unborn Baby Care (our pregnancy help center). I asked the mother of this pregnant teenager if her daughter was going to have an abortion because they lacked finances. The mother responded, "Whether she has the baby or aborts it, my insurance with Blue Cross Blue Care Network will pay". Since that incident I found that most managed care health plans not only pay for a child's confidential abortion, but for contraceptive drugs and devices that are unhealthy for children, cause infertility and breast cancer and are made available to children without parental knowledge and consent. This hit me like a ton of bricks, because my conscience was being violated. Since the same company also insured me, I no longer wanted to subsidize the killing of God's innocent children and the undermining of a parent's right to information about their child's health and welfare. So began my journey to change the healthcare culture and why I am submitting this testimony in opposition to this UN American legislation that directly attacks the core of the American family. The fundamental freedom that is at issue is "conscience", the freedom of individuals to "conscious choices" in health care. Many pharmacists are already faced with the incredible pressure of dispensing chemicals that kill people (suicide drug), harm children (birth control pill and devices) and violate a parent's conscience in raising and protecting their children. Many physicians are faced with losing their jobs because they refuse to refer for abortion. Law forces most health care providers, to deny parents rights to their children's medical information. Most employers, employees, individuals and taxpayers are forced to finance confidential procedures that have been proven to be unhealthy for children, cause infertility and breast cancer, and are dangerous to children's health and welfare. Because of this pressure many patients are deprived of the medical providers primary mission "to heal and do no harm". There are plenty of health plans available with contraceptive coverage. If S. 104/ H.R. 1111 is passed, there will no longer be freedom of choice in health plans, for those who do not want to subsidize contraception. To protect conscience in health care, it is critical that the payer's freedom in health plans is protected, which include all US citizens and organizations. What we pay for is what we get! To force all health plans to subsidize contraception is a serious attack on women, children, family, religious liberty, and right of conscience. Today, in health care, there is a struggle between a philosophy that believes some people are not capable of living a meaningful life, the "Culture of Death"; and the philosophy that all human life is sacred life, the "Culture of Life". How our conscience is formed is what makes us who we are. One of the most basic of all freedoms is the right for parents, not health care providers nor the state, to form the conscience of their children in the beginning and end of life issues. What will keep America great is to assure parents the freedom to form the conscience of their children. Americans do not need S 104/H.R. 1111 that discriminates against the family. What Americans need is a Health Care Right of Conscience Act, to protect health care provider's and payer's conscience, and the right of parents to form their children's conscience. Thank God for the great system of government we have in this country that protects free exercise of conscience and religious liberty in law. |
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