The story today about a Philadelphia doctor charged with killing a woman patient and several babies isn't about abortion and health care choices (though abortion opponents will try and turn it into that). No, it is about a sick monster of a man who, if found guilty of these crimes, should face the harshest penalties.
How could a physician with "46 malpractice suits" against him (including one in the death of another woman) and who wasn't even board certified ("He does not know how to do an abortion," Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said) get away with practicing all these years without red flags going off all over the place?
Update: Planned Parenthood has talked with local media about this profoundly upsetting story:
Dayle Steinberg, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania, said her organization was very “dismayed” by the news. Planned Parenthood has an abortion clinic in West Chester as well as health centers in Coatesville and New Garden Township.
“Planned Parenthood condemns the alleged action of Dr. Gosnell and condemns the actions of any physician or health care provider that chooses to not obey the laws or puts any patient in danger through reckless actions,” Steinberg said...Steinberg said new regulations would not stop those who want to break the laws. She added that current regulations keep the price of abortion high for those agencies that perform legal abortions. She said that can lead some women to seek out people like Gosnell, who may be performing illegal abortions that are less expensive.
The Washington Post notes that making money, not providing decent health care, was what motivated this doctor and his wife:
Prosecutors said (Dr. Kermit) Gosnell made millions of dollars over three decades performing thousands of dangerous abortions, many of them illegal late-term procedures. His clinic had no trained nurses or medical staff other than Gosnell, a family physician not certified in obstetrics or gynecology, prosecutors said...
Gosnell didn't advertise, but word got around. Women came from across the city, state and region for illegal late-term abortions, authorities said. They paid $325 for first-trimester abortions and $1,600 to $3,000 for abortions up to 30 weeks. The clinic took in $10,000 to $15,000 a day, authorities said.
"People knew near and far that if you needed a late-term abortion you could go see Dr. Gosnell," Williams said.
White women from the suburbs were ushered into a separate, slightly cleaner area because Gosnell believed they were more likely to file complaints, Williams said.
Few if any of the sedated patients knew their babies had been delivered alive and then killed, prosecutors said. Many were first-time mothers who were told they were 24 weeks pregnant, even if they were much further along, authorities said.
These were truly evil acts.
It is vital that we protect the rights of women so that they can seek quality medical care without regard for income so that no one is forced to deal with frauds like Gosnell. Unfortunately, Congress wants to make it even more difficult for women to have access to quality care. That's the wrong direction to go.
You can make a difference by signing the petition put forward by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice that reads:
As a person of faith and conscience who cares deeply about the health and well-being of all persons, I believe that women should have access to safe medical care throughout their lives, including abortion services if and when necessary. Including coverage for abortion services in the upcoming state insurance exchanges is important to make sure that all women can get the safe, legal medical care they may need.
Eighty percent of health plans nationwide cover abortion services. That coverage should not be denied in the insurance exchanges because some people oppose it. Taking away insurance coverage does not reduce the need for abortion. It only makes it harder for women to access the medical care they need.I stand with the millions of pro-choice people who support insurance coverage of comprehensive reproductive health care for all women. By insuring women’s full health care, we will be helping to ensure a brighter future for our families and communities.
Click here to add your name. Let's protect women from people like Gosnell.
