Health Workers and Religion
On January 28, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the formation of a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division within its Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The purpose of the new division is to pursue policies that allow doctors, nurses, and other health care workers to deny care to patients based on the provider’s religious beliefs. HHS said the move establishes “conscience protections” whereby the OCR would side with individuals who do not want to provide services, such as abortion, that they say conflict with their morals or religion. OCR already has enforcement authority over Federal…
