U.S. Dept. Of Health Tells Hospitals To Allow Same-Sex Visitors… OR ELSE
Last April the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told all hospitals participating in Medicare and Medicaid to extend hospital visitation rights and medical power of attorney to same-sex partners.
Yesterday HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius clarified that all patients can now choose their visitors “regardless of whether the visitor is a family member, a spouse, a domestic partner, or another type of visitor.” Moreover, if a hospital decides not to comply with the new rule, the HHS has “the power to terminate a Medicare provider agreement.” Oh snap!
What if our visitors are Jedis or armed Stormtroopers? Can we give them power of attorney too?
Image via US Army Africa
@Chris:
Obama “won this huge battle”?
Ferchrissakes, even antigay hate groups like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council couldn’t find anything wrong with the policy.
Battle. LOL.
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@the crustybastard: You’re right. This is an utterly insignificant development that no one should be remotely happy about, despite the fact that it positively impacts all of our lives. At this point, I can’t even say that you’re biting the hand that feeds, because I think you’re just biting anything that comes near you.
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Get over yourself. I didn’t say it was nothing. I said it isn’t a “huge battle” or a “triumph” when there’s no opposition. That isn’t such a complicated concept it should be outside your grasp.
Yes. It’s indeed something.
It’s a long overdue statement of this administration’s executive policy that took 17 months to put in place. It comes from the president, which is swell. But unlike an executive order, a memo doesn’t have the force of law such that it would stand up in a courtroom. Further, it explicitly states that you may not sue the government for failing to enforce this policy. To wit,“[t]his memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.” And seriously, if you think Obama would actually withdraw Medicaid funding from a hospital for fucking over a homo, you’re delusional.
So yes, it’s indeed something.
That something is a nonbinding, unenforceable policy statement that makes Obama seem caring, even as its existence undermines one of the most persuasive arguments for marriage equality (or even lame-ass civil unions).
A victory? Hell no. It is not that.
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You have to think of Native Americans who’s lives are traversed via all sorts of treaty laws. It takes zero priority when it comes to receiving equal treatment in a US Court. Who would be happy to be further transcribed as a part of a group that will not and possibly can not ever be handled on equal legal footing with cases involving, say, taking a pet into a bar? At least the pet’s predicament will see the light of day legally speaking. Ours, not so much.
paternal types always want gratitude. It’s mystifying why that is, but they do.
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Oh, when will this brutal persecution of Christians ever end!?