In their article, Nielsen Busch and Mjaaland defend the moral permissibility of cDCD, suggesting that much of the controversy around this donation practice has been the result of a misinterpretatio...

In March 2010, President Obama signed into law The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although there is much in the ACA that is endorsed by the Catholic health ministry, the many positive provisions of the ACA have been overshadowed for the Catholic Church and the Catholic healthcare community by the controversial provisions requiring access to all FDA-approved sterilization and contraceptive medications (75 Fed. Reg. 137 (19 July 2010)) Typically, these drugs and services have not been covered by the (...) health plans of many religious employers including Catholic hospitals, universities, and social service agencies. Acknowledging the existence of religious-based objections to the provisions of these .. (shrink)

This is a case that speaks directly to the issue of an organization's mission. As private insurance and government reimbursement decline, the economic pressures facing healthcare systems both public and private continue to increase. For many institutions it is no longer a question of prospering but surviving. As this case accurately describes, survival is dependent on continually reducing costs and maximizing reimbursement. These strategies often include reducing the number of nonpaying or charity cases while attempting to remain faithful to the (...) mission of the organization, whether this be a religious or civic mission. The ethics committee, although it may be an appropriate forum for discussions to begin concerning this patient, is not the appropriate decisionmaking body regarding whether this gentleman receives the treatment he needs. That task should fall to whichever group defines or articulates the mission and values for the organization, normally the hospital's administration in concert with the board of directors or trustees. (shrink)