On the recordNovember 4, 2011
Madam Speaker, the Department of Health and Human Services recently proposed a rule that would require all health plans to cover in full and, consequently, every American to subsidize procedures and drugs that are unrelated to medical necessity, traditionally considered electives, and can be very ethically divisive for many Americans. Why when 75 cents on every public health care dollar is spent on the management of chronic conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke, is the Health and Human Services Department prioritizing free sterilization, for instance? This is distinctly unrelated to our Nation's health care priority challenges. I can only conclude that this is ideologically driven and most perniciously affects faith-based institutions who are the backstop of compassionate care for the poorest and most vulnerable in society. Many Republicans and Democrats have expressed very serious concerns about this. No American should be forced to choose between their faith and their job. ____________________
