If the current versions of the health care bill do not change, the answer to that question is yes. The Bishop's Conference and the Catholic Health Care Alliance have been aadvocating for real reform for decades. It is a shame that we may have to oppose the bill. But the reason is a good one. Presently, the versions of the bill do not make it certain that federal money will NOT be spent on abortion. Our message is: Health Care Reform is about Saving Lives, not Destroying them. In short, abortion is not health care because killing is not healing. The current versions of the bill are also seriously deficient on conscience rights and do not provide adequate access to health care for immigrants and the poor.

I was stunned to learn that the bills do not provide anything for LEGAL immigrants. What is that about? It seems very discriminatory let alone bad health policy to leave a significant portion of the population outside of the reform. Hopefully, enough Catholics will take notice of this and advocate with their legislators to get these provisions in the bill. We want to support health care reform... but we will not with such gaping holes in the bill.