Coalition urges rejection of Holy Cross proposal for new Montgomery hospital

[Dale_M]

A coalition of women’s and religious groups is urging Maryland state regulators to reject a proposal by Holy Cross Hospital to build a new hospital in Montgomery County because Catholic restrictions on reproductive health services could jeopardize access and care for low-income women and teens.

The Maryland Health Care Commission is scheduled to make a final decision Thursday on competing proposals from Silver Spring-based Holy Cross and Rockville-based Adventist HealthCare, capping more than two years of intense and costly competition.

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/19/AR2011011905833.html

Last month, the head of the Maryland Health Commission, after a long study, announced support for the Holy Cross proposal. It was considered a major boost to the likely success of Holy Cross.
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121706295.html

However a group of 12 state legislators are pushing for the rejection of her findings.

The letter references the recommendation of the Holy Cross hospital in Germantown, made by Marilyn Moon, Ph.D., chair of the Maryland Health Care Commission. Within the letter, the group gives four reasons for their position. First, they said they are concerned about the impact a hospital in Germantown would have on the Shady Grove Adventist Emergency Center in Germantown.

Second, legislatures said Moon’s recommendation did not fully consider Adventists’ positive impact on the community. Also, the letter calls for a thorough and extensive planning process, whereby the proposals should be considered for their impact on the environment and land use.

Lastly, the letter states the need for a variety of health care services for all.

montgomeryvillage.patch.com/articles/12-legislators-back-adventist-hospital-plan

How this plays out will be interesting to see, especially in light of the Arizona hospital and Catholic sister who were firmly reprimanded. However, its interesting to note that the “religious groups” in the coalition opposing the Holy Cross proposal are Catholics for Choice, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

 

[Dale_M]

The vote was 9-0 in favor of the Holy Cross proposal. You might think this would settle the controversy, however a legal challenge is being considered.

Beth A. Corbin, national field director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the county and state also face a potential lawsuit in using government land — on the Montgomery College campus — for a Catholic hospital that does not, on religious grounds, provide all services that are legal.

Her organization successfully filed a lawsuit under similar circumstances in Florida several years ago and is closely monitoring the situation in the county, said Corbin, whose group is part of the coalition.

gazette.net/stories/01202011/montnew145319_32553.php