Montana - "Conscience’ Bill Lets Medical Providers Opt Out of Providing Care

[Jim Allen]

In Full: https://www.poz.com/article/conscience-bills-let-medical-providers-opt-providing-wide-range-care

In Brief:

A new Montana law will provide sweeping legal protections to health care practitioners who refuse to prescribe marijuana or participate in procedures and treatments such as abortion, medically assisted death, gender-affirming care, or others that run afoul of their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs or principles.

The law, which goes into effect in October, will gut patients’ ability to take legal action if they believe they didn’t receive proper care due to a conscientious objection by a provider or an institution, such as a hospital.

[leatherman]

Montana’s law goes further, prohibiting the assignment of health workers to provide, facilitate, or refer patients for abortions unless the providers have consented in writing. South Carolina, Ohio, and Arkansas previously passed bills.

ugh. South Carolina (my now-home state) and Ohio (my previous-home state). At least NC (my birth-home state), and where I get my health care, hasn't passed a similar law...yet.

What are we going to have to do? Ask each doctor upfront if they'll treat me or let me die because I am hiv+ and/or gay? or whatever it is that they have a "conscientious objection" to? 

[Jim Allen]

Sooner or later, perhaps years away though, some lefty snowflake will object to treating some white straight republican snowflake for whatever reason and there will be a snowflake meltdown on both sides and they will rethink this.

P.s I'm not in a helpful mood today. Giving myself a few hours ban from the forum and maybe I'll be more useful afterwards