Death and The Catholic Health Association

SR. Carol Keehan, DC president and Chief Executive Officer gave us this disgraceful endorsement of Obamacare even though the Bishops have come out four square against it.

As I watched our president present his plan to pass the health reform legislation, it was clear this is an historic opportunity to make great improvements in the lives of so many Americans. Is it perfect? No. Does it cover everyone? No. But is it a major first step? Yes.

The insurance reforms will make the lives of millions more secure, and their coverage more affordable. The reforms will eventually make affordable health insurance available to 31 million of the 47 million Americans currently without coverage.

CHA has a major concern on life issues. We said there could not be any federal funding for abortions and there had to be strong funding for maternity care, especially for vulnerable women. The bill now being considered allows people buying insurance through an exchange to use federal dollars in the form of tax credits and their own dollars to buy a policy that covers their health care. If they choose a policy with abortion coverage, then they must write a separate personal check for the cost of that coverage.

There is a requirement that the insurance companies be audited annually to assure that the payment for abortion coverage fully covers the administrative and clinical costs, that the payment is held in a separate account from other premiums, and that there are no federal dollars used…

Everybody, and I mean everybody, knows that this is just an accounting gimmick and this bill funds abortion, period. Even some democrats, when speaking to pro-abortion types, have admitted that this gimmick means nothing.

Such willful blindness is sickening. The organization should be disbanded immediately. Sr. Keehan was courted by the Obama administration for some Catholic cover and she gave it to them.

Joseph Bottum at First Things is perplexed. Why? Why now?

Even if she thought the Senate version of the bill doesn’t actually fund abortions—a dubious proposition—she would have to admit that Stupak’s amendment is an improvement. For what possible reason would she undercut the bishops—who generally favor major health-care reform—and the efforts of Stupak at this point in the process?

One reason and one reason only, to attempt to offset the Bishops opposition in order to give the impression that Catholics are not united in opposition.

Sr. Keehan is no true daughter of charity, she is a daughter of death.

Update: Check out Archbishop Chaput’s statement.