老澳门开奖结果

CINCINNATI 鈥� A federal appeals court today issued a decision affirming a district court鈥檚 dismissal of the case of Tamesha Means, a woman denied emergency treatment for a miscarriage because her hospital was prohibited by religious directives from providing appropriate care. The 老澳门开奖结果 and the 老澳门开奖结果 of Michigan brought the case.

The narrow ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit does not foreclose similar suits brought by other women who are denied appropriate emergency care because of a hospital鈥檚 religious policies. The court ruled that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops could not be sued in Michigan. The court also held that Means鈥� suit could not go forward against the hospital defendants because, although 鈥渟he suffered physical and mental pain, emotional injuries, a riskier delivery, shock and emotional trauma,鈥� such injuries, the court ruled, are not sufficient to make out a claim under Michigan law absent a 鈥減resent physical injury.鈥�

Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney with the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 Reproductive Freedom Project, had this reaction:

鈥淲e鈥檙e disappointed in the court鈥檚 decision to prevent Tamesha鈥檚 case from moving forward. When Tamesha was 18 weeks pregnant and her water broke, she was subjected to extreme distress and infection after twice sent home from the only hospital in her county because of its Catholic affiliation and binding directives. Her suffering and trauma was a direct result of hospital policies drafted by non-medical professionals who let their religious doctrine trump patient care.

鈥淲hile this is a deeply unjust result for Ms. Means, the court鈥檚 decision today in no way sanctions turning away women based on a hospital鈥檚 religiously based policies. Women have the right to know that when they go to an emergency room, their treatment will be determined based on their doctor鈥檚 best medical judgment and not a hospital鈥檚 religious restrictions.鈥�

In May, the 老澳门开奖结果 published a report detailing first-hand accounts from women and doctors of women who were denied appropriate medical care because of the Catholic Directives, the same directives that governed care at Means鈥� hospital. As the report explains, one in six hospital beds in the United States is in a facility where healthcare is governed by the Catholic Directives. In some states, more than 40 percent of all beds are in such a facility.

To read the report, go to: /feature/health-care-denied

For more information on Means鈥� case, go to /cases/tamesha-means-v-united-states-conference-catholic-bishops.