Not With A Bang, But A Whimper

Calm your fears that George W. Bush, in his last two years in the White House, will do something to undermine Roe vs. Wade.

Yes, I’ve heard the arguments. That he could appoint Supreme Court judges to overturn it. That, as a lame duck he has nothing to lose, so he’ll do as he pleases.

But this won’t happen.

For one, any politician who would dare to touch that third rail would be a dead duck. Women as a body would rise up and smite the party that touches that amendment and the Republicans would find themselves out of power not just for a presidential term, but for a very, very long time. And for all their bluster, politicians know this.

For two, it could happen not by any move from the White House, but by the states, with cost-cutting done to balance their budgets. It could be done by hospital closures and that worst threat of all, consolidation of services.

Every once and a while there is a rumble of this in my area. There are two Catholic hospitals, one on either side of the river, in cities where there is also another (and on the eastern bank, two other) non-denominational facilities. There have been no closures but there have been consolidations and partnerships. The sticking point always comes in the fact that the Catholic hospitals do not perform abortions.

But the state is in trouble and the noose is getting tighter.

At noon today, Albany is set to release a report by the Commission on Health Care Facilities that will strongly recommend that nine hospitals in the state will be closed, and several others will disappear through consolidation. This also includes a number of nursing homes.

According to an article that appeared this morning in the Albany Times Union, this measure is necessary in order for the state to cut “excess” health care beds and save taxpayers millions in Medicaid costs.

In the Capital region, this calls for the closure of Bellevue Women’s Hospital, a facility that is celebrating its 75th year.

Also according to the article, “The commission also requires Ellis Hospital, now with 368 beds, and St. Clare's Hospital, with 200 beds, to unite under a single governing structure. The recommendation would bring together a Catholic institution with family planning constraints, and a non-Catholic facility that provides abortions.” (read the entire article) The report specifies that unless a Governing Board is developed to cut expenses for these two facilities, one or the other may be closed completely, putting the abortion services available at Ellis in jeopardy.

Situations like this one exist throughout the state. Locally, on the west side of the Hudson the Catholic and non-Catholic hospitals will be forced to merge. It is claimed that the Catholic hospitals will then be “forced” to provide abortion services. And we all know that isn’t going to happen. They’ve tried it before.

The president of Bellevue said that they have no empty beds and don’t understand why they are being targeted for closure. A grass-roots campaign is already beginning to support the necessity of the hospital.

Governor Pataki, a Republican and a lame duck, has until December 5th to recommend the report, as a whole, to the State Legislature, which has until December 31st to either accept or reject the plan as it is. A close aide to Pataki says that he’s certain to recommend it.

There’s got to be another way for New York to save money other than slashing services available at already-taxed hospitals and healthcare facilities. Not only might it put facilities that provide safe, legal abortions out of business, but already, fewer and fewer doctors and hospitals will accept Medicaid patients and this will only make their plight worse.

If you live in New York, or know someone in New York who might be affected, I’d urge you to take action. Contact your state representativeor your state senator to make your concerns known. And if this is happening in New York State, it could be in the works in other states as well.

Don't let them get away with this.