Letter to the editor

Dear Editor:

For over 100 years, Holy Rosary Healthcare has delivered quality healthcare services to counties throughout eastern Montana. We continue to take pride in living our Mission to reveal and foster God’s healing love by improving the health of the people and communities we serve, especially the poor and vulnerable.

This is why we were proud to support legislation during the last legislative session that reauthorized and reformed Medicaid Expansion in Montana through the Medicaid Reform and Integrity Act. Far too many Montanans, especially those of us in eastern Montana, lack the access to health care we need and deserve and without Medicaid reform passing last session, our eastern Montana hospitals would have been negatively impacted and some hospitals would not have been financially sustainable. We commend and applaud those eastern Montana lawmakers who had the courage and foresight to stand with their local hospital not only to support a large employer in our communities, but to ensure health care remains close to home for all of us.

It is regrettable, however, that some are accusing those brave lawmakers who stood with us that their support of Medicaid reform meant that taxpayer funded abortions would occur under the legislation. This is false.

As a non-profit Catholic healthcare organization and consistent with our ethical and religious directives, Holy Rosary Healthcare does not perform abortions in our facility. Indeed, we would not have supported the Medicaid reform legislation last session if the legislation provided for taxpayer-funded abortions. Those who argue otherwise are incorrect.

Ultimately, Holy Rosary Healthcare remains steadfast in our commitment to serving our Mission in eastern Montana. Medicaid reform’s passage only further enhanced this commitment. Arguing that its passage expanded access to abortions is not only inconsistent with our Mission, it is inconsistent with the truth.

Karen Costello

President, Holy Rosary Healthcare

Miles City