Catholic Conference of Ohio
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Issues - Catholic Conference of Ohio

Health Care

Affordable and accessible health care is an essential safeguard of human life and a fundamental human right.

Catholic hospitals in Ohio provide close to $1 Billion in charity care and community benefits each year. Local health care transformation continues to occur through promotion of health and wellness programs, chronic disease initiatives, expansion of information technology, and other care innovations.

Concerns remain over abortion and mandated contraceptive services within the federal health care reform law; cost effective utilization of Medicaid and Medicare; adequate provider reimbursement; and monitoring the Affordable Health Care Act to assure affordable coverage for all, especially impoverished children, families and other uninsured persons.


Link to the Catholic Conference of Ohio's Dept. on Health Affairs


 

CCO Statement Regarding Ohio Catholic Hospitals and Miscarriage Care

Over thirty Catholic hospitals, providing care to millions of patients in Ohio, affirm their commitment to delivering comprehensive healthcare for women and preborn children during pregnancy complications. 

Contrary to common misconception, neither Catholic religious directives nor any state law restrict Catholic hospitals from responding to pregnancy complications. Catholic hospitals provide comprehensive miscarriage care, treatment for ectopic pregnancies, and perform other life-saving measures through medical procedures in life-threatening circumstances.

Catholic hospitals play a critical role in maintaining public health. Regardless of the passage or failure of Issue 1 in November, the care they provide during a miscarriage or other pregnancy complications will remain comprehensive and committed to the well-being of mothers and preborn children. This commitment is an expression of respect for the dignity of all human beings and is central to their mission to carry out Jesus’s ministry of love and healing in the world today. 

CCO Testifies on Bills to Enhance the Ability of Charitable Pharmacies to Provide Medication to Uninsured and Underinsured Ohioans and Promote Religious Freedom of Higher Ed Students

Last week, the Catholic Conference Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 558 would enhance the ability of charitable pharmacies, hospitals, and nonprofit clinics to serve those needing expensive, life-saving medication. The CCO cited the tremendous work of St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacies in their efforts to help many low-income Ohioans and how this bill will allow them and other agencies the ability to receive and distribute expensive medication. HB 353 requires each state institution of higher education to adopt a policy providing students with religious accommodations. CCO's testimony emphasized that an essential duty of government is to protect the religious liberty of its citizens.   

Judge Temporarily Blocks Enforcement of 'Heartbeat' Law

Conference Statement in Response to Hamilton County Ruling

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is disappointed that on September 14, 2022, a Hamilton County Court blocked enforcement of the Heartbeat Law for 14 days. The law prohibits abortion when a child's heartbeat is detected. We remain hopeful that Ohio’s judiciary will restore the law and so assert that the Ohio Constitution cannot possibly ascertain the right to abort an unborn child. Catholic agencies throughout Ohio will continue to serve both mothers and pre-born children while the Conference advocates for laws that allow for the flourishing of all Ohioans, no matter their stage of development or circumstance.  

Postpartum Medicaid Coverage expanded up to a Full Year

The Conference commends the General Assembly and DeWine Administration

With approval from federal agencies, Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers in Ohio increases from 60 days to a full year – the maximum allowable by federal law. The Conference commends the General Assembly and the DeWine Administration for enacting this measure in the current state budget under HB 110. According to Catholic Social Teaching, legislation and budget priorities promoting a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, including mothers and babies, is essential for a flourishing society. The Catholic Conference of Ohio continues advocacy for initiatives that allow all Ohioans to thrive and contribute to the common good, regardless of their income level or stage of life.

Conference Applauds Launch of OhioRISE Program for Youth with Complex Behavioral Health Needs

The Catholic Conference of Ohio applauds Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Medicaid for the launch of OhioRISE (Ohio Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence), a new specialized managed care program for children and youth with the most complex behavioral health needs. OhioRISE will address gaps in care and coordination for families forced to navigate complex, often siloed systems on their own. In heartbreaking circumstances, these gaps have resulted in some families relinquishing custody of their children to access needed behavioral healthcare services. It is estimated OhioRISE will serve 50,000 children and youth by the end of the first year.

Governor DeWine’s Press Release | Learn more about OhioRISE

Contact your Member of Congress this August to Support Vulnerable Families!

Catholic Charities USA urges action on multiple issues

Members of Congress have returned home for the August recess and are ready to hear what issues are the top priorities for their constituents. It is a critical time to make our voices heard on the issues that matter to vulnerable people in need. This year is particularly important because members of Congress are in the midst of crafting landmark legislation that will fund many key programs that impact Catholic Charities and the people they serve in areas such as housing and homelessness, health care, hunger, poverty alleviation and others.

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U.S. Bishop Chairmen for Doctrine and for Pro-Life Address the Use of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 Vaccine

On March 2, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recently approved for use in the United States. 

“...Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production.  The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was developed, tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has judged that ‘when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available … it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.’[1] However, if one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s.  

“While we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the world-wide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good..”

Letter on Vaccines from the Ohio Bishops
 

Mercy Medical Center Is Now a Full Member of the Cleveland Clinic Health System

Cleveland Clinic names Timothy Crone, M.D., President of Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital

Mercy Medical Center is now a full member of the Cleveland Clinic health system, while maintaining its Catholic identity through sponsorship by the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine.

All services at the newly named Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital will proceed without interruption, including COVID-19 response. Patients will continue to see their same physicians and providers at their current locations. Mercy’s employees will continue delivering care, and all operations and appointments for inpatient and outpatient services will proceed as scheduled. All current insurance plans will continue to be accepted at the hospital.

Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Addresses the Use of Anti-Covid-19 Vaccines

The Vatican's doctrinal office, with the approval of Pope Francis, issued a note Dec. 21 saying it can be "morally acceptable" for Catholics to take vaccines against the coronavirus.

"...when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available (e.g. in countries where vaccines without ethical problems are not made available to physicians and patients, or where their distribution is more difficult due to special storage and transport conditions, or when various types of vaccines are distributed in the same country but health authorities do not allow citizens to choose the vaccine with which to be inoculated) it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process..."

Ohio Bishops Issue Letter on Vaccines

Vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer to combat COVID-19 may be taken without moral reservations.

The Catholic Bishops in Ohio issued a letter to parishioners addressing questions and concerns being raised regarding the use of covid-19 vaccines. Of particular concern to many Catholics are various issues related to application of the Church’s moral teaching to the development, distribution, and reception of vaccines. The letter outlines the following principles:

  •  Any vaccine must be developed in a morally acceptable manner;
  • Catholics are obliged to advocate for vaccine development to be done in a morally acceptable manner throughout every stage; 
  • The vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer to combat COVID-19 may be taken without moral reservations;
  • Catholics are obliged to advocate for the just distribution of a vaccine so that those most vulnerable may have access. 

 Read also: USCCB Statement by the Chairmen of the Committee on Doctrine and the Committee on Pro-Life Activities United States Conference of Catholic Bishops