As one of their final acts in office, the Bush Administration issued a dangerous and misguided "conscience" regulation that jeopardizes access to birth control and other medically necessary health care services and information.

The new Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation makes it easier for health care providers to withhold information and services to patients, if the providers have moral or religious objections. 

This dangerous policy upsets the balance between provider beliefs and patients' right to affordable, accessible health care. It goes far beyond current law, and opens the door for insurance plans, hospitals, anti-choice doctors, nurses – even administrative staff like receptionists – to undermine patient access to the information and advice they expect and need.

The regulation also makes clear that health care providers are free to define abortion to include commonly used, FDA-approved methods of contraception, such as birth control pills. 

Please take action today. Urge President Obama to reverse this ill-conceived HHS regulation in the critical first 100 days of his new Administration.