Ethical Issues in Catholic Healthcare Conference
The La Crosse Guild of the Catholic Medical Association and the Diocese of La Cross will be hosting an upcoming Catholic Medical Conference on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. The Conference will address Ethical Issues in Catholic Healthcare and will feature presenters, Fr. Tad Pacholczyk and Dr. John Haas. Contact Eugene J. Diamond at ediamond@shrineofourlady.com or 877-799-4059 for more information.
Birth-control mandate puts religion in a bind
Archdiocesan Vicar General Rev. Peter Laird expresses serious moral concerns about recommendations adopted by the Department of Health and Human Services. Read more.
Prominent RCs Write To Sebelius on Conscience Protections
Recently a group of prominent Catholics released a letter to Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recommending that she amend the proposed rule on mandated health care coverage to provide for more expansive conscience protections for religious organizations. Read more.
Safe Place for Newborns
The MN-DHS recently released a new bulletin providing guidance on the Safe Place for Newborns law. Read more.
Catholic Health Association Response to Women’s Preventive Services Regulations
The following statement was being released by Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, president and chief executive office of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA): The Catholic Health Association is both pleased and concerned by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) recent actions on preventive services for women. Read more.
USCCB: HHS Mandate for Contraceptive and Abortifacient Drugs Violates Conscience Rights
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sharply criticized a new HHS “preventive services” mandate requiring private health plans to cover female surgical sterilization and all drugs and devices approved by the FDA as contraceptives, including drugs which can attack a developing unborn child before and after implantation in the mother’s womb. Read more.
Overview of Approved State Budget
General consensus was mixed and dissatisfying results in the conclusion of the government shutdown. Read more.
2011 Catholic Health Assembly
The 2011 Catholic Health Assembly, June 5-7, in Atlanta was attended by more than 800 leaders of the Catholic health ministry. For news releases related to the assembly events, please go here. A selection of photos from the assembly (hi-res and downloadable with appropriate credit to be given) can be found here. In addition, video highlights from the assembly can be found here and read the July 1 issue of Catholic Health World articles about assembly speakers and events.
Pearson Advocates for Moral Budget
CHA-MN Director Toby Pearson was recently published within the Catholic Spirit advocating for a State budget solution that reflects the community’s values and moral. Read more.
David Borgert of CentreCare Health System Honored
David Borgert of CentraCare Health System was honored with MHA’s Spirit of Advocacy Award for his spirit and tireless efforts to inform CentraCare staff and the central Minnesota community about health care reform. And his valuable contributions to MHA’s Policy and Advocacy Committee and staff helped shape, and continues to shape, how hospitals respond to the public policy implications of many important health care topics of our time. In the midst of the most significant national health care reform in decades, Borgert has taken on the difficult task of communicating about health care reform to not only CentraCare employees, but also to central Minnesota business leaders and residents. As director of community and government relations for St. Cloud Hospital and CentraCare Health System for the last 14 years, he has shown leadership while balancing the many intricacies of state, federal and community issues. The result has been a better informed community — one that has a better understanding of health care reform and how it can contribute to affordable, quality health care.