Madison, Wis., Aug 14, 2013 / 01:09 am
A new abortion restriction in Wisconsin could inadvertently require several Catholic health systems to grant abortion doctors admitting privileges at their hospitals due to a decades-old federal law.
"I don't think too many people thought about that particular aspect," John Huebscher, executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, told CNA Aug. 13. "My understanding is that this issue has surfaced in other states."
A recent change in Wisconsin law now requires doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinics. These privileges would allow a doctor to admit a patient to a hospital in the event of complications.
The new legal provision is part of a recently-passed law that gives a woman who seeks an abortion the right to see an ultrasound. Huebscher said that the Wisconsin Catholic Conference did not address the provision of the law related to admitting privileges, but it had supported the ultrasound-related provision.