Biden backs down in standoff with Catholic hospital over chapel candle.

Biden Administration Reverses Decision on Catholic Hospital’s Sacred Practice

CMS Ruling on Candle Safety Hazard Overturned

The Biden administration has reversed a previous decision that demanded a Catholic hospital in Oklahoma remove a lit candle from its chapel, a practice and observance sacred to Catholics, or lose its ability to accept Medicare, Medicaid, or Children’s Health (CHIP) patients.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), had ruled in April that the candle, which has burned continuously for 15 years at Saint Francis Hospital South in Tulsa, was a safety hazard. However, following widespread protest and media attention, CMS has now said it is open to working with Saint Francis to find an arrangement that permits the burning candle to stay.

Saint Francis Health System, the Catholic owner and operator of Saint Francis Hospital South, eight other hospitals, and 110 clinics in Oklahoma, appealed the CMS decree and sought a reasonable accommodation. CMS denied Saint Francis’ request in a letter dated April 20.

Yet, after a pre-litigation letter from leading religious liberty legal group Becket Law, along with Yetter Coleman LLP, was sent to CMS on behalf of Saint Francis, alleging that prohibiting the candle was a violation of the First Amendment free exercise of religion clause, the agency adjusted its position.

Lori Windham, vice president and senior counsel for Becket Law, said that CMS’ decision is a win for religious freedom. “The decision of CMS shows that religious liberty protections extend to practicing your faith, and that includes providing health care and worship in a chapel,” Windham told The Epoch Times. “These protections apply to everyone. Today it’s a candle. Tomorrow it could be something else. And so, a good decision today for Saint Francis is a good decision for religious believers across the country.”

In a statement shared with The Epoch Times, CMS said: “CMS is aware of a safety finding involving a fire risk, made by an independent accrediting organization, issued to a hospital in Oklahoma. CMS met with the hospital and accreditation organization, and issued a waiver to allow the hospital to mitigate the potential fire risk and correct the safety finding. The hospital will work with the accrediting organization on next steps.”

Key Takeaways:

• The Biden administration has reversed a decision that demanded a Catholic hospital in Oklahoma remove a lit candle from its chapel or lose its ability to accept Medicare, Medicaid, or Children’s Health (CHIP) patients.
• Saint Francis Health System, the Catholic owner and operator of Saint Francis Hospital South, appealed the CMS decree and sought a reasonable accommodation.
• After a pre-litigation letter from leading religious liberty legal group Becket Law, CMS adjusted its position and is now open to working with Saint Francis to find an arrangement that permits the burning candle to stay.
• Lori Windham, vice president and senior counsel for Becket Law, said that CMS’ decision is a win for religious freedom.

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