Health Policy group stays out of birth control fray

The Bush administration has proposed a rule that has raised opposition from more than 100 congressmen, and dozens of health, religious and research groups that say the measure would make it more difficult for women to get birth control.The groups say the proposal before the Department of Health and Human Services would redefine abortion to include several common birth control methods. Federal law ensures that health care providers can’t be forced to perform abortions if they have religious or ethical objections. The proposed regulation would extend to some methods of birth control, the groups say.The proposed rules could affect state-run programs, such as Medicaid. In Kansas, the agency in charge of Medicaid is the Kansas Health Policy Authority. But KHPA says it has not done an analysis of the dispute and has no position on the issue.