Originally posted by billbright: There is a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) that would require private and public health plans to cover all "spiritual care" - whether or not the individual has religious objections to medical care. This proposed funding undermines our Constitution and will open up your tax dollars to scam artists.
This amendment will make an existing problem worse. Religious people who object to medical care already have some "spiritual care" covered by Medicare and Medicaid. This "spiritual care" includes reimbursements for payments that Christian Scientists make to members of the Church who pray for them when they are ill. Numerous children have died while receiving this "spiritual care" when modern science would easily have saved their lives.
Under the new amendment, all health plans would be obligated to cover such expenses. The Hatch-Kerry bill amendment doesn't stop there, expanding this practice to all Americans, regardless of whether or not they object to medical care. Tax payers would help foot the bill for this religion-based care, care offering no scientific evidence of effectiveness. "Care" which, in fact, endangers lives by placing government approval on non-scientific practices.
Another amendment, proposed by Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), would ensure that doctors can deny patients any care or information that violates the doctor's religious beliefs. This violation of medical ethics is labeled with the Orwellian term "Conscience Clause" - i.e. denying or delaying proper care for a person in need. This amendment cruelly places the religious beliefs of practitioners (such as pharmacists) above the medical needs of patients. This amendment threatens your access to contraception, end-of-life care, HIV care, and any other care to which a health provider employee objects.
Third, Senator Hatch has submitted an amendment requesting that funding for Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage programs be restored. Congress has wasted $ 1.5 billion on such programs since 1996. Numerous studies, including a 10-year government-funded evaluation of the Title V abstinence-only program, have found that these programs do not delay sexual initiation and have no beneficial impact on young people's health or sexual behavior. In addition to being ineffective and leaving out information on safe sex, many such programs contain false and misleading "medical" statements and teach religious propaganda and theologically-driven gender stereotypes to our children.
I thought Bristol Palin was going around trying to get everybody on board the “Abstinence Only” bus?
While I fully agree that science has proven itself a more consistent & reliable healer than spiritual care alone, I also recognize that some religions do not believe in doctors and the practice of medicine.
I think to solve this dilemma; the amendment must be worded such that the government will pay for certified and licensed spiritual care or appropriate medical care, but not both!
Yes, yes, of course that’s not going to prevent you from having a member of the clergy visit you in the hospital.
And perhaps there can be some nominal amount that can overlap, say $1,000 or so. But the government should not, must not, be on the hook for many thousands of dollars for both spiritual healing and medical care. Care must also be taken that taxpayer funds don’t go out to “snake-oil” salesmen, charlatans & con-artists, which is why I think anyone who receives government funding must have a valid license.
This is interesting considering some recent criminal cases in which parents have been convicted of neglect for allowing their children to languish and die under "spiritual care" when saving them would be a trivial medical solution. You could get the government to pay for the treatment that sends you to jail!
Originally posted by cosmicfish: This is interesting considering some recent criminal cases in which parents have been convicted of neglect for allowing their children to languish and die under "spiritual care" when saving them would be a trivial medical solution. You could get the government to pay for the treatment that sends you to jail!
On the other hand, maybe “spiritual care” would be lots cheaper than real medical care. After all, no hospital necessary, or expensive drugs and tests and certainly no digging around the sacred body for infected parts. And probably no malpractice (try dragging the spiritual world into court!) Laying on of hands, shaking a rattle and sprinkling some chicken blood. I mean, just how much could that cost? I think "spiritual care" would be the conservatives ultimate answer to health care.... just pray it away. It would save billions!
Originally posted by reducetension: So, would it cover witch doctors and voodoo?
Unfortunately, I’m afraid it would have to. The question there, though, would have to be: “Can the US Gov’t make payments out in chickens?”
Yes they can! Didn't you see the movie Major League? When power hitter Cerrano wanted a whole chicken to sacrifice to his locker voodoo god, the team got him a bucket of fried chicken. The government could do the same thing. Link it to the food stamps program!
Originally posted by reducetension: So, would it cover witch doctors and voodoo?
Unfortunately, I’m afraid it would have to. The question there, though, would have to be: “Can the US Gov’t make payments out in chickens?”
Yes they can! Didn't you see the movie Major League? When power hitter Cerrano wanted a whole chicken to sacrifice to his locker voodoo god, the team got him a bucket of fried chicken. The government could do the same thing. Link it to the food stamps program!
"A chicken in every pot"?? I think that's a political motto from a while ago as well. Which reminds me, how about medical 'pot'? The government going to pay for that, too? I think that would be cheaper than medical check ups or hospitalization. Just get all the sick people stoned. The theme song could be "White Rabbit". A rabbit in every pot? How about Medicine Men for non-Indians? I still think the idea could save billions, just “pray” the illness away. I mean, how much could that cost?
