California's attorney general has filed a lawsuit against a Catholic hospital, Providence St. Joseph Hospital, for allegedly refusing to provide emergency abortion care to a woman whose pregnancy was no longer viable. The lawsuit was announced by Attorney General Rob Bonta and filed in Humboldt County Superior Court.
The case revolves around Anna Nusslock, who, at 15 weeks into her pregnancy, experienced her water breaking and was taken to Providence in Eureka. Despite the nonviability of her pregnancy, the hospital reportedly declined to perform an abortion as long as one of the twins had detectable heart tones, unless Nusslock's life was deemed to be at sufficient risk.
Due to the hospital's stance, Nusslock was advised to seek emergency services at the University of California, San Francisco, which was not covered by her insurance. The doctor warned against driving to UCSF, stating that it could lead to severe complications. Eventually, Nusslock was discharged to a nearby hospital where she received the necessary abortion care.
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Providence Hospital's parent company stated that they are reviewing the complaint and emphasized their commitment to providing emergency services in compliance with state and federal laws.
The lawsuit alleges violations of California's Emergency Services Law, which prohibits patient dumping and mandates that all licensed health facilities with emergency departments offer necessary care to those in need. It also accuses the hospital of breaching state civil rights and unfair competition laws.
Attorney General Bonta emphasized the importance of holding the hospital accountable for its actions and ensuring that such incidents do not recur in the future.
