State: Some public hospitals must provide abortions

Public hospitals offering maternity care must also provide contraceptive and abortion services under a law passed in 1991, the state attorney general said Wednesday.

In Snohomish County, the opinion affects tax-supported hospitals in Edmonds and Arlington, which have maternity units.

The opinion by Attorney General Bob Ferguson did not spell out how the services must be provided, such as whether they must be provided on-site or whether hospitals can contract with other organizations.

The decision could also affect negotiations among public hospitals in Arlington, Anacortes and Mount Vernon.

The three hospitals are considering business proposals from four larger health care organizations, two of which are Catholic — Seattle-based Virginia Mason, Catholic-affiliated Peace Health, Seattle’s UW Medicine and Providence/Swedish, a collaboration between nonprofit Catholic and secular health care organizations in Western Washington.

The possibility of joining up with a Catholic health care organization has been opposed by a community group, People for HealthCare Freedom, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union, over Catholic health care restrictions on birth control and prohibitions on abortion.

Clark Jones, chief executive of Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington, said he didn’t think the attorney general’s ruling would slow a decision on which organization the three hospitals will join.

Jones said he thought a decision will likely be made during a meeting of the boards of the three hospitals Aug. 29 in Mount Vernon.

“If we were to select a Catholic health care organization with which to affiliate, any issues raised by the attorney general will have to be addressed,” he said. “I think that’s pretty clear.”

Jones said he didn’t think the hospital boards will allow the fact that there are complications with joining up with a Catholic organization to eliminate those organizations from consideration.

The three hospitals must make a decision on picking a business partner based on which organization can provide the most benefit to their communities, Jones said.

Clark Todd, president of the board of commissioners for Skagit Regional Health in Mount Vernon, said the hospitals seem to be on course to make a decision over the next week and a half.

Board members have no intention of agreeing to a business partnership with any organization that would diminish the services that are offered, including women’s health services, he said. “We’ve listened to our community.”

Ferguson was asked by an Orcas Island lawmaker whether public hospitals that do not provide reproductive care violate Initiative 120, which said residents have a fundamental right to choose or refuse birth control or abortion.

The law requires that public hospitals providing maternity care must also provide substantially equivalent benefits, services or information on contraception and abortion.

During a news conference to announce his decision, which he called a “formal opinion,” Ferguson said he was not asked to define what steps public hospitals would have to take to meet that standard.

Officials at Swedish/Edmonds hospital said late Wednesday afternoon that it was too soon to know how the ruling might affect its operations. The public hospital in Edmonds is the former Stevens Hospital; Swedish started running the hospital in 2010. Taxes are collected from property owners who live within the hospital district.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.