Catholic hospitals support health care bill

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Catholic hospitals support health care bill
March 13, 2010
The Associated Press(AP)

WASHINGTON — A group representing Catholic hospitals is rallying behind President Barack Obama's health care bill.

Support from the Catholic Health Association could help persuade anti-abortion lawmakers to provide critical votes in the House for the overhaul.

The group's chief executive, Carol Keehan, writes on the association's Web site that the legislation isn't perfect, but is "a major first step" toward covering all Americans and would make "great improvements" for millions of people.

The association's support widens a split among abortion opponents. They're divided on whether the legislation does enough to deny taxpayer money for abortion. The National Right to Life Committee and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops say it doesn't.