Keep Health Care Services Free of Religious Ideology

As more secular hospitals merge with religiously affiliated ones, nearly 50% of WA state hospital beds are now controlled by Catholic ideology that prohibits contraceptive counseling and contraceptive methods including condoms, birth control pills, IUDs, vasectomies and tubal ligations; and that prohibits fertility assistance, abortion and end of life "death with dignity", all of which are legal in WA State. Non-Catholics and Catholics alike increasingly find themselves in situations in which the only health care available is subject to these restrictions dictated by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. WA State has the highest percentage of religious control of hospital beds in the U.S. and its continuing to increase (26% in 2010, 45% so far in 2013). Some business owners refuse to include the same legal health care services in their company's health insurance plans. Some pharmacy owners refuse to dispense certain legal contraception products. Some health care providers continue to discriminate against LGBT families. It's time to say, "Stop!" We believe that in medical care, the patient's rights must come first for all residents of our state