A Trump-era rule that sought to increase the rights of medical workers to refuse to perform abortions or other services that contradict their religious or moral beliefs will be largely reversed by the Biden administration, The Hill reported on Tuesday.
The rule released Tuesday partially does away with the Trump administration's 2019 policy that would have taken away federal funding from health facilities that mandated workers to provide any service they objected to – such as abortions, contraception, gender care, and sterilization.
The Trump administration's rule never took effect when it was blocked by three federal courts and after several states, cities, and advocacy groups sued.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Tuesday that its rule represents an attempt by Congress to find a balance between maintaining access to health care and honoring religious beliefs and moral convictions, The Hill reported.
"Some doctors, nurses, and hospitals, for example, object for religious or moral reasons to providing or referring for abortions or assisted suicide, among other procedures. Respecting such objections honors liberty and human dignity," HHS said.
But HHS pointed out that "patients also have rights and health needs, sometimes urgent ones. The Department will continue to respect the balance Congress struck, work to ensure individuals understand their conscience rights, and enforce the law."
The move comes as many GOP-led states have put in place abortion bans following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to The Hill. In addition, an increasing number of states have also placed limits or bans on gender care for minors.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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