Health Care Workers Fear Bill To Expand Abortion Rights

ABINGDON, Va. – Health care professionals worried about the effects of a federal proposal that would expand abortion rights gathered Thursday at Johnston Memorial Hospital to learn more about the legislation.

“I’m concerned I’ll lose my freedom to not participate in a procedure that is objectionable to my beliefs,” said Mark Simcox, an anesthesiologist at Johnston Memorial who coordinated the meeting. About 35 health care professionals attended.

Simcox and others, including members of a new group in the region organized to oppose the legislation, are concerned that the Freedom of Choice Act, HR 1964, would force health care professionals to violate their beliefs on abortion issues.

Pending before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, the act would codify the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that guarantees a woman’s right to choose a lawful, early termination to her pregnancy, said Jessica Honke, director of public policy for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.

But Simcox argued that under the proposal, hospitals that refuse to provide abortions “would be at great financial peril” because they would lose needed federal government funding – and medical professionals who refuse involvement would risk lawsuits and losing their ability to practice.

“If I would refuse to provide anesthesia services for a woman who wanted an abortion, it’s protected under a conscientious objector law,” Simcox said. But “I would lose that protection with this bill.”
Simcox said Johnston Memorial does not currently provide abortion services.

Bill Haywood, who spoke at Thursday’s meeting, said “Even if you’re not concerned about the moral aspects of it, you have to be concerned about it as a medical professional, and not just as a medical professional, but as a parent and as a taxpayer.”

Haywood is chairman of that new organization, called Fighting for Life in the 9th, which was created by a group of religious leaders in Southwest Virginia’s 9th congressional district. He said organizers believe a large majority of people in the district also will oppose the bill.

Haywood said Fighting for Life in the 9th hopes to persuade U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, who represents the region in Congress, to oppose the bill as well. Boucher could not be reached for comment Thursday.

In an e-mailed response to a woman who said she wrote Boucher about the issue, he thanks her for sharing her views of opposition. He also wrote: “The bill only restates current law as reflected in Supreme Court rulings interpreting the Constitutionally based right to privacy. ... You can be assured that I will keep your views in mind when it is considered by the House of Representatives.”
Honke said the doctors should not be concerned.

“If the doctors worry about having to be mandated to perform abortions, that is not the case,” Honke said. “The Freedom of Choice act would not require hospitals to perform abortions.”

Honke said it merely secures women’s access to reproductive health care services under federal law.

Haywood said the bill would take away choice for health care workers, and would force hospitals to choose between providing abortions and shutting down. He also said it would take away the right of parents to determine whether an abortion can be performed on a 12-year-old girl and nullify the informed consent laws applied to other medical procedures.

“I think the fact that you don’t see elective abortions being performed in an area would be the best estimate as to the general consensus regarding it,” Johnston Memorial emergency room doctor Andrew Hawkins said when asked where most doctors in the region stand.

“Of the doctors in the Tri-Cities that can perform them, there are very few who do,” said Simon Pennings, a family doctor who practices in Abingdon.

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