Programs

The MergerWatch Project fights for patients’ rights and against religiously-based health care restrictions through several key programs:

Hospital Merger Advocacy

Project staff work directly with community-based coalitions to fight the imposition of religious doctrine at historically nonsectarian hospitals when they merge or affiliate with religiously-sponsored hospitals. Our goal is to find ways to protect patients’ rights and access to services, such as reproductive health care, at the nonsectarian hospital. We provide expert analysis of proposed mergers, public education materials, support for grass roots organizing and technical assistance to local advocates in how to intervene in state regulatory oversight processes.

Pharmacy Refusal Project

MergerWatch staff are working to ensure that patients are able to fill their prescriptions at local pharmacies, without interference from those pharmacists who have religious or moral objections to contraceptives or other medications. We provide public education, advocacy materials, media messaging and assistance to state and grass roots organizations working on this issue.

Coalition-Building

We build broad-based coalitions to fight religious health care restrictions that affect reproductive health care, end-of-life decision-making, HIV/AIDS prevention counseling, “safer sex” education, availability of fertility treatments and medical research.

Research and Policy Analysis

MergerWatch staff conducts targeted research and policy analysis projects designed to produce new information and advocacy tools for groups working against religiously-based health care restrictions.