Action Alert: MI - access to birth control and health care for LGBT

[noamnety]

CALLS NEEDED TO SENATE HEALTH POLICY COMMITTEE

A legislative package that will allow health care providers (including individual employees), health care facilities (including hospitals, hospices and pharmacies), health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan to refuse to provide or participate in health care services or benefits based on moral, ethical or religious beliefs will be heard in the Senate Committee on Health Policy on Wednesday, September 22 at 1:00 p.m.

Although the legislation prohibits the denial of services to people protected under the Michigan Civil Rights Act, sexual orientation and gender identity are not protected categories. This means:

*LGBT people can be denied medical treatment, standard medication, or emergency care, or their insurance company could deny payment of services rendered.

*Women could be denied birth control devices or emergency contraception to reduce the possibility of a pregnancy after being raped.

*Medical decisions may be based on subjective and biased criteria, not medical and ethical principles. This is of particular concern for end-of-life decisions.

These bills diminish the medical care and options of all Michigan citizens. Members of the committee need to hear from you! MAKE YOUR CALLS NOW TO OPPOSE THIS LEGISLATION.

Committee members are: Senator Hammerstrom-R (Chair), Senator Patterson-R (Vice Chair), Senator George-R, Bernero-D (Minority Vice Chair), and Senator Jacobs-D.

To find your State Senator, go to: http://www.senate.michigan.gov/SenatorInfo/find-your-senator.htm as soon as possible to tell him/her to oppose this legislation. In addition, contact Governor Granholm’s office and ask her to veto the legislation should it pass. http://www.michigan.gov/gov.

To review HB 5006, HB 5276, HB 5277 and HB 5278, go to: http://mileg.org/mileg.asp?page=home


Our Action Alert System is designed to provide you with critical information to help you take action to maintain your liberties and freedom.

Visit our website for additional information - http://www.aclumich.org

[4morewars]

1. Thanks for the head's up !

I will make my calls tomorrow, and I will alert others.

[AFSCME girl]

2. Thanks, lwfern!

This is a great post and extremely important information for folks to be aware of! :hi: