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NC Republicans push bill allowing health care workers to turn away patients for 'moral' reasons

A bill back by NC House Republicans would allow health care providers, institutions and insurers to refuse care to any patient on religious or moral grounds.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Should you be turned away from medical care because a provider has a moral or ethical objection to something about you? You could be — under a bill that is likely headed for the House floor next week.

House Bill 819, which sponsors call the Medical Ethics Defense Act, would allow any health care provider, hospital or institution, or insurer or other payer to refuse to provide care or service to any person if the provider has a "religious, moral or ethical" objection to doing so. The GOP-backed measure passed the House Health committee Thursday.

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The bill reiterates a decade-old state law that allows any health care provider to object to performing abortions on religious grounds. However, H819 goes far beyond abortion to allow the refusal of any type of care to any person. That could include refusal of care to patients based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or even political opinions or marital status, opponents say.

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