Donovan Slack and Jennifer Haberkorn report for the Politico that “After a year of controversy, the Obama administration has changed contraceptive health coverage requirements for religious institutions that pay for their own insurance and objected to the policy on moral grounds.”
This morning, Feb. 1, 2013, the Obama regime’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) announced the change of policy, “Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act“: Women will still be able to get the same health benefits, but certain religious employers will now be exempt from paying for it.
Christian institutions, specifically those of the Catholic Church, vehemently objected to the HHS mandate. In May 2012, 43 branches of the Catholic Church sued the federal government in Superior Court for the HHS mandate contravening the Constitution’s First Amendment on Church-State relations, by requiring religious organizations to provide, pay for, and/or facilitate insurance coverage for not just contraception services, but also abortifacients (abortion-inducing drugs), which violate the teachings of the Catholic Church.
However, HHS’s change of policy does not address the concerns of private businesses, such as Hobby Lobby, whose owners also object to contraception on religious grounds. Several dozen lawsuits have been filed, and the religious freedom issue is likely to reach the Supreme Court.
Here’s the summary of the proposed policy change, “Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act.” (I’ve saved the pdf document to FOTM’s Media Library. Click here!)
SUMMARY: This document proposes amendments to rules regarding coverage for certain preventive services under section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended, and incorporated into the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code.
Section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act requires coverage without cost sharing of certain preventive health services, including certain contraceptive services, in non-exempt, non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance coverage.
The proposed rules would amend the authorization to exempt group health plans established or maintained by certain religious employers (and group health insurance coverage provided in connection with such plans) with respect to the requirement to cover contraceptive services. The proposed rules would also establish accommodations for group health plans established or maintained by eligible organizations (and group health insurance coverage offered in connection with such plans), including student health insurance coverage arranged by eligible organizations that are religious institutions of higher education. This document also proposes related amendments to regulations concerning excepted benefits and Affordable Insurance Exchanges.
~Eowyn & Steve
