Herb Silverman explains the Secular Coalition for America's objections to three amendments to the controversial health reform bill being marked up in the Senate Finance Committee. Included are a "conscience clause" provision that "would allow doctors to deny patients any care or information that violates the doctor's religious beliefs.", and another that would "require all private and public health plans to cover "spiritual care," whether or not the individual has religious objections to medical care."
Silverman concludes:
The First Amendment protects religious freedom, but no American taxpayer should be forced to subsidize a fellow citizen's religious beliefs and practices. The Hatch, Kerry and Enzi amendments, in a misguided attempt to accommodate religion, encourage waste, poor outcomes, and anti-scientific thinking. They have no place in a bill whose goal is to make quality medical care more accessible to all.
Howard Friedman lists all amendments that have a religious or religious freedom component.
