Health-Reform Entanglements in Boston

By Jacqueline L. Salmon

Interesting developments in the Beantown Catholic scene that point out the potential complications of national health care reform. The Catholic hospital system founded by the archdiocese of Boston, Caritas Christi Health Care, is severing ties with a health insurer because it covers abortion services.

As Michael Paulson of the Boston Globe explains it "Caritas's withdrawal from the insurance venture, just days before it will start providing care to low-income residents as part of the state's efforts to establish near-universal health coverage here, is a vindication of sorts for a variety of conservative Catholic critics of the cardinal, who have been arguing angrily that it would be 'evil'' for Caritas to collaborate with a health insurer that covers abortion services."

Some background on why this could have an impact on health care reform: Caritas had announced plans with Centene, the Missouri-based health insurer, to create a new company, to be called CeltiCare, to provide health insurance to low-income Massachusetts residents under Commonwealth Care, the state-subsidized program. But there was controversy that the archdiocese was indirectly support abortion because Centene covers abortions and sterilizations--forbidden under Catholic moral teachings. Centene is legally required to provide coverage of such services because insurance plans must refer patients to all legally available services. Catholic hospitals are exempt exempt.

The Catholic hospital system, however, will still participate in the state-run insurance programs, and some pro-life advocates are criticizing Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston for failing to remove Caritas Christi from Commonwealth Care, which reaches the Massachusetts' poor. They claim that this association is still a form of cooperation with evil because the state insurance program will cover abortion services.

It is a cautionary tale for health-care reform, which pro-life advocates are gearing up to fight if the proposed public option for health care reform includes coverage of abortion services. Pro-choice groups, however, consider such coverage as part of the continuum of women's reproductive health. As the fight in Massachusetts shows, the entanglements can be deep, emotional and controversial.

By Jacqueline L. Salmon  |  June 29, 2009; 9:15 AM ET  | Category:  God in Government
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