— Catholic Healthcare West contributed money toward healthcare system providing abortions to 12-year olds —
— SF Gate: Catholic Healthcare West leadership involved health care plan that performs abortions —
— Sterilizations performed inside at least 12 Catholic Healthcare West facilities —
WASHINGTON, D.C. (20 December 2010) – American Life League has uncovered damaging new information regarding the anti-Catholic activities of San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West.
Specifically, the new information included in a prepared dossier released at 2pm Eastern today reveals the following highly concerning details:
Catholic Healthcare West granted money to the San Francisco Health Plan, a health care program that provided funding for abortion to children as young as 12. Worse than this, the San Francisco Health Plan does not provide parental notification or consent for these services, meaning that one’s 12-year old daughter could have an abortion performed upon her through the plan without a mother or father’s knowledge or consent, and with the financial backing of a Catholic institution.
Catholic Healthcare West CEO Lloyd Dean co-chaired the creation of the abortion-providing Healthy San Francisco Health Access Plan, a subsidiary of the San Francisco Health Plan. The list of services includes “family planning services” that — according to the San Francisco Gate in November 2009 — included coverage for abortions.
12 Catholic Healthcare West member hospitals/medical centers performed female sterilizations as far back as 2001 and 20 Catholic Healthcare West members currently refer to staff physicians for vasectomies.
The details of these and other alarming policies and positions of Catholic Healthcare West can be found at the following link:
https://www.all.org/pdf/CHW_ALL_REPORT_20101220.pdf
On Friday, American Life League asked a few questions regarding Catholic Healthcare West. After careful investigation and documentation, these are the answers that staff uncovered:
Have any CHW affiliated hospitals provided contraceptives, sterilizations, or other proscribed so-called reproductive health services? Yes. As of 2001, at least 12 CHW members performed tubal ligations and currently at least 20 members refer for vasectomies by staff physicians on their websites. In fact, not only does CHW member Woodland Health Care list “contraception: as one of its services, but the CHW’s 2008 Arizona Medical Plan and $250 deductible plan covers abortifacient oral contraceptives and diaphragms.
Have any CHW hospitals provided contraceptives which can possibly interrupt the implantation of human beings in their embryonic state (abortifacients)? Though evidence for procedures actually being performed at Catholic Healthcare West facilities is inconclusive, Catholic Healthcare West does list a number of known abortifacient contraceptives in their health care plans preferred drug list.
Has CHW, through its community grants program, provided funding to any organization that promotes activities or lifestyles that are opposed to Catholic teaching? Catholic Healthcare West has given to at least six grantees that actively promote abortion, birth control, and homosexual lifestyles.
Has CHW given its support to any public policy or legislation which would provide funding for abortion? In 2006, Catholic Healthcare West CEO co-chaired the Universal Health Care Council for the creation of the healthy San Francisco Health Access Program, which covers elective abortions.
Did CHW support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act despite the admonishment of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ not to support the bill on the grounds that it provided taxpayer funding for abortion? In 2009 and 2010, Catholic Healthcare West’s CEO gave full and unqualified support for the act before and after its passage.
Most importantly, will CHW comply with Bishop Olmsted’s requests? Catholic Healthcare West has yet to comply with Bishop Olmsted’s request, even after a gracious extension of the Friday deadline.
American Life League and hundreds of thousands of Catholics concerned about what is being done in the name of a faith committed to the defense and protection of human beings in all stages are very eager to hear that Catholic Healthcare West is taking Bishop Olmsted’s requests for fidelity to heart.