Is a partnership between Catholic hospitals in New England and a secular health care company going to result in cooperation by the Catholic hospitals in abortion? Some say it will:
Further information about the Celticare medical program created in a Catholic health care network's partnership with a secular company has renewed charges that the Catholic network will be complicit in the provision of abortions. The Archdiocese of Boston told CNA it is reviewing the matter.
The Caritas Christi Health Care network, which is affiliated with the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, joined in a partnership with Centene Corp. to enter into the state's subsidized health program, Commonwealth Care.The Centene-Caritas Christi partnership, in which Centene is the senior partner, established Celticare as a for-profit HMO to manage the Commonwealth Care contract awarded by the Massachusetts state government.
As of Monday afternoon, benefit information at the Celticare site lists abortion services for $0, $50, $100 depending on the participant's health plan. Another Celticare document listing "Family Planning and Reproductive Services Providers," dated May 21, gives information on four Planned Parenthood affiliates.
Centene and Caritas Christi each said they would partner with providers to ensure access to all services required by the Massachusetts Connector Authority, including "confidential family planning services."
The Archdiocese of Boston is said to be reviewing the matter. But meanwhile, some Catholic bloggers and the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts have been covering the story; there has been no word as yet from the Archdiocese about the indications that the Caritas hospitals will refer women for abortions as has been claimed.
It is not morally acceptable for a Catholic hospital to refer patients for abortions. Church teaching is clear on this matter; any such practice is gravely wrong and must be opposed. The Church's witness to the value of unborn human life must be clear and uncompromising; anything less would be a scandal--and the last thing the Archdiocese of Boston needs is another scandal.
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I'm shocked, frankly.
If the public as a whole wishes to be the beneficiary of Catholic-funded health care, well then, they have to take it with whatever conditions the Church chooses to impose. Why why why would the Church compromise on this???
Like, if you take government money you have to do what the government says, or they yank your funding.
Why the word "scandal"? I realize it has a special meaning in Catholic circles, but I also realize that the organizational abhorrence of "scandal" has had a role in some pretty awful developments in recent decades.
Isn't there a better word?
For the murder of innocent children? I think not.
Like, if you take government money you have to do what the government says, or they yank your funding.
For example, if you decide to become an owner of an insurance company that is required by law to provide certain services to all policyholders, particularly of those policies are partially funded by the state.
Secular owner/Catholic hospital. Intersting combination. The Catholic group must need money.
For the murder of innocent children? I think not.
You misunderstand my objection. I wouldn't object to, say, abomination. My concern isn't about the degree of awfulness or seriousness of the subject.
Avoidance of "scandal" is why the Church covers things up it shouldn't.
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