PA "Women's right to know Act" would place print out of ultrasound in patient's medical records

[Liberal_in_LA]

It would require the ultrasound screen to face the woman while the doctor narrates the images, although the law states that it should not be “construed to prevent a pregnant woman from averting her eyes,” the bill reads. Doctors who do not follow the prescribed routines could face felony charges and could be sued by the potential father and grandparents.

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The Pennsylvania legislature is considering a law with some of the country’s strongest provisions. It would require vaginal probes in many cases, display of the scanning screen to the patient and a printout of the image for inclusion in the patient’s medical records. It would also impose a 24-hour waiting period between ultrasound and abortion that critics say would be a burden for some women.

Labeled the Women’s Right to Know Act, the bill is opposed by the Pennsylvania Medical Society and other medical groups. But it has been approved by a Senate committee and its sponsors hope for passage this year.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/us/virginia-senate-passes-revised-ultrasound-bill.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Doomsday button has been pushed

Pandora's box has been opened, and the teabagger demons have now been let loose.

[nanabugg]

23. But it's the RW that accuses Obama of telling doctors how to practice their profession.

What happened to the GOP screaming about government telling your doctor how to practice medicine?

[Avalux]

2. Heinous. Absolutely Heinous. The title of the bill makes me want to vomit. n/t

[sufrommich]

3. Unbelievable. We're going back to the dark ages. nt

[PA Democrat]

4. Can anyone confirm if this statement by the bill's sponsor is true?

Kathy L. Rapp, a Republican senator and the main sponsor, said that the concerns about requiring vaginal ultrasounds were exaggerated because most clinics perform the procedures before abortions anyway.

Sounds like a lie to me.

[Avalux]

5. NO way in hell. She's lying.

It's not medically necessary to perform a transvaginal ultrasound prior to an abortion; no reason for it. And, it's expensive. What else do Pukes do though, besides lie?

[PA Democrat]

6. That's what I thought.

Average cost of a transvaginal ultrasound is $525 according to this website:

http://www.newchoicehealth.com/Directory/Procedure/60/Transvaginal%20Ultrasound

[PA Democrat]

7. Looks like the bill's sponsor is a one woman anti-choice crusade.

Rapp Advances Women’s Right-to-Know Act to Offer Pennsylvania Mothers Complete Picture of Life

Rapp to Present Supporting Evidence for Historic Women’s Right-to-Know Act

Rapp Backs Bill to Protect Mother’s Right to Life from Abortion Clinic Horrors

http://www.reprapp.com/latestnews.aspx

[blue neen]

9. You know, we own property in Warren County and pay quite a bit of property taxes there.

Looks like I'll have to make a call to Rep. Rape's office. (Oops, did I just type Rape instead of Rapp...must have been a Freudian slip!).

[femmocrat]

8. There is a petition, if you are interested in expressing your disapproval. Link inside:

http://signon.org/sign/stop-pennsylvanias-mandatory?source=mo&id=36194-20379603-hTTpAfx

More at keystoneprogress.org

[blue neen]

10. What does our deranged Governor, Tom "The Nimrod" Corbett have to say about this?

Anything? Where is Tom Corbett these days?

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I don't think he is suicidal enough to sign it

right away... He may do a McDonnell on it if it gets that far.

[blue neen]

13. Everything else Corbett has signed has been pretty damn stupid.

Everything is negative, punitive, corrupt, anti-education, and job killing.

...Not to mention that he aided and abetted a child molester.

[PA Democrat]

14. Yep, the stupid runs deep with Corbett.

[Sparkly]

12. Unbelievable!!!

I can't believe this new wave of craziness we're seeing...

What happened to a woman's right to think for herself???

[blue neen]

18. "We're not worthy!" We're not worthy!"

Such is life in the Republican "Wayne's World" view of women in America.

[Matariki]

15. I can't say what I would like to do to these regressive assholes

Let's just say that I hope that every single asshole who is pushing this legislation is voted out of office. With extreme prejudice.

[Matariki]

16. Can someone please propose a Women's Right To Kick Some Republican Nutz Act

Thank you.

[salin]

17. Back to the kitchen with you - and take off your shoes!

Yep back to the days of the metaphor barefoot and pregnant.

Bigger point - some GOP talkers are expressing out loud the idea that sex should only be for the purpose of procreation. So should there be legislation that males - whose female partners have crossed the menopause threshold - should be forbidden (as it is illegal) from having relations with their wives/partners?

[LiberalFighter]

19. They need to attack this legislation piece by piece.

This part about allowing potential grandparents to sue is so wrong. The same for fathers that are not even a spouse. I would think that normally women would discuss this with their husbands before considering an abortion. And that in those cases that don't involve negative issues with the husband and an abortion is performed against the wishes of the husband then his recourse should only be a divorce.

How can grandparents have any standing in this when their daughter in all likelihood would be emancipated? Either they are or they are not.

Women need to stand outside the capitol with pig balls held high. Some of the women of these legislators need to do the same in the bedroom.

[blue neen]

20. It seems that this is in direct violation of the federal HIPAA act.

"Your Health Information Is Protected By Federal Law"

"Most of us believe that our medical and other health information is private and should be protected, and we want to know who has this information. The Privacy Rule, a Federal law, gives you rights over your health information and sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive your health information. The Privacy Rule applies to all forms of individuals' protected health information, whether electronic, written, or oral. The Security Rule, a Federal law that protects health information in electronic form, requires entities covered by HIPAA to ensure that electronic protected health information is secure."

Oh, yeah. Pennsylvania can really afford to be sued by the federal government. After all, Governor Gashole keeps proclaiming that we're broke so he can keep cutting services and education.

What a bunch of idiots.

[derby378]

21. A transvaginal sonogram law has already been passed in Texas

And they used the same justification: women are too damn stupid to know what's going on in their own uteri during pregnancy, so we're going to shove a transvaginal probe between their legs and make them watch. Or at least describe it to them if they refuse to watch. Either way, they're getting raped by a politician using a doctor as legal proxy.

[DirkGently]

22. Among other things, it's a repellent abuse of Medicine.

There is no other motivation here than to co-opt the medical profession to physically abuse and emotionally humiliate women in an incredibly vulnerable state.

It would be hard to dream up a more vicious and inhuman aim for legislation, but apparently some Republicans and religious conservatives take sadistic joy in finding cowardly ways to demean people they hate.

I hope doctors' groups put their full authority behind smashing this perversion of the healer's role.