Ohio physicians, hospitals and health insurance companies could refuse to provide or pay for a medical service if it violates their moral beliefs, under language inserted into the state budget bill this week. The new language would also give medical practitioners immunity from lawsuits for refusing such and allow them to sue others.

Abortion rights and LGBTQ advocates sounded the alarm this week, fearing more restricted access to reproductive health care and more discrimination. Those on the other side hailed the measure as essential for protecting religious freedoms. 

The former lambasted lawmakers for inserting the clause last-minute into the state's humongous two-year budget bill, where it received no public hearings and could get lost in the public's eye amid a litany of other things.

Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday that LGBTQ Ohioans can find other medical providers if the first ones they approach refuse to treat them, which is allowed under the newly signed budget bill.

DeWine vetoed 14 provisions in the two-year budget, which went into effect Thursday. But he did not veto a provision that allows a medical provider to deny treating people on the basis of their “moral, ethical, or religious beliefs.” Reporters, during a bill signing ceremony, pressed him on the issue, as Ohio’s major associations representing hospitals, doctors and health-insurance providers, as well as LGBTQ rights groups, opposed the provision.

the medical care provision conflicts with the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination if a provider receives federal health care funds.