Affirming health care rights
Dear Editor:
It isn’t just in the right-wing governed states where women’s right to choose and everyone’s right to access many forms of health care are under attack. Here in progressive Washington, it isn’t laws or government officials doing it. It’s much more insidious. It is the Catholic church doing it.
Thanks to years of unchecked mergers, nearly half of the state’s hospital beds are in Catholic-affiliated facilities. There, Catholic rules inhibit — or prohibit — aid in dying, abortion, certain fertility treatments, and contraception. That’s no surprise, though it is very troubling to see this health care so widely limited in our state.
It’s not only women’s health issues. You may know about Living Wills and Advance Care directives. These give you the right to determine ahead of time that you do not want doctors to maintain your body with artificial means when you are near death.
But if you are in a Catholic-affiliated hospital, among the endless forms you or your legal representative will be given will likely be one that says: “We do not honor advance care directives.” This isn’t just boilerplate. It means that a Catholic priest or other church person may have the final say on whether your death is prolonged, against your wishes.
The Legislature and the Attorney General have known about this for years. The AG has done very little and bills in the Legislature have repeatedly died. The latest is Senate Bill 5241, dubbed the Keep Our Care Act. It would authorize the AG to impose conditions or reject transactions where a merger would diminish access to affordable care, including reproductive health, end-of-life, and gender affirming services.
This bill is important. But even if the bill passes, it’s only for the future. It won’t do anything about the damage to our health care system already done.
Randy Brook
Twisp
Action needed
Dear Editor:
The recent news of the latest horse starvation case on Palmer Mt. is shocking but not surprising. Numerous calls to the sheriff’s department regarding animal abuse are made throughout the county. Thanks should go to Deputy Marchand for his good work in carrying through on this case despite the difficult conditions. His report documents the case well and ended with finding and charging the perpetrator/animal owner with animal cruelty.
The remaining horse still alive was taken to No Paws Left Behind, in spite of the fact they are not really set up to handle horses. Later, another call was made on eight dogs running loose on the same place, also abandoned and without food or water. Why do people amass animals knowing they don’t have the means to feed and care for them humanely? Based on previous animal cruelty cases, this perpetrator will no doubt get off with a slap on the wrist and then be free to repeat her actions elsewhere. Okanogan County badly needs an animal control officer and a shelter where people can take abandoned or unwanted animals. The few private agencies that do handle cases are overwhelmed. The county commissioners seem to have lots of money to build firehouses, repair the Fairgrounds, etc., but giving help to animals doesn’t seem to even be on their radar. Could sufficient attention from the press and citizens who care about animals help compel them to meaningful action?
Jessica McNamara
Tonasket
