Abba Zabba

According to an article in the Washington Post today (linked above), several states are considering laws that would protect the rights of health care workers to not do their jobs. Why would they pass such stupid laws? Religion.

The usual example of this is the pharmacist who refuses to dispense prescriptions for drugs that he religiously objects to. If you're unfortunate enough to need the morning-after pill, and then unfortunate enough to go to a pharmacy with pro-life staff, you can't get your prescription filled. (Even though the prescription was issued by a doctor with more training and authority than the guy working the overnight shift at Walgreen's.) These states are trying to protect the pharmacist's "right" to refuse care to people if they want to. Some states are even trying to expand it to apply to other medical personnel, or even to insurance companies.

So, basically, it's impossible to get medical care in those states. If the doctor or nurse doesn't want to care for you, they can claim a religious objection and not do it. "Sorry, my church forbids me to touch members of the opposite sex." "Sorry, my church forbids me to do anything helpful for people of other religions." "Sorry, I'm a Christian Scientist, and I don't believe in medical care. But I'll pray for you." Under these laws, such objections are perfectly legal. And, even worse, insurance companies can claim religious objections to paying for the care that you've already received. Considering it's in the insurance company's best financial interest not to give benefits, that's a great deal for them. I'm sure they'll religiously object to every procedure with too thin a profit margin.

The solution is obvious. If you have an objection to giving out birth control or emergency contraception, don't become a pharmacist. It's part of the job. (I'd also advise vegans not to become butchers. And if they don't want to ring up meat products, they also shouldn't be grocery store cashiers.) But once you've accepted the job, particularly a medical job, it's your responsibility to give people the care that they request. It's not fair for the religious beliefs of a doctor or pharmacist to trump the medical needs of a patient. These people need to do their jobs. And if there are any sensible legislators in the states considering these bills, they need to do their jobs too by rejecting these stupid laws.