Your Right As a Patient vs. Your

Medical Providers’ Religious Beliefs

It is basically dishonest to characterize Illinois Senate Bill 1564 Health Care Right of Conscience Act as invalidating the First Amendment right to freedom of religion. The legislation, effective Jan. 1, 2017, guarantees every medical provider in Illinois has the right not to participate in a medical procedure they oppose on religious grounds, but they must inform patients of medical treatment options for their condition that are available elsewhere.

For example, if a Catholic hospital will not perform abortions, tubal ligations or insertion of I.U.D.s, the patient must be informed these procedures are accessible elsewhere.

Supporters of the legislation include the A.C.L.U., the Illinois section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, the Ounce of Prevention Fund and the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health.

Opponents include Illinois Family Institute, Illinois Right to Life and Kevin D. Schoeplein, OSF president and CEO.

As Catholic hospitals continue to grow and buy out small regional hospitals, the right of growing numbers of patients could be restricted and subjugated to Catholic doctrine, whether the patients are Catholic or not.

It is unfortunate that Schoeplein signed a letter from the Illinois Catholic Health Association opposing the legislation. The letter states the bill forces providers to give risk and benefit of all relevant treatment options for a patient.

Yes, of course. That’s the moral thing to do.

Fay Martin

Peoria