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tazzygirl -> RE: Catholic Bishops' Fight Against HHS Mandate (3/16/2012 7:41:10 PM)
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quote:
Many churches and Catholic organizations are self-insured.
From my understanding, this involves universities and hospitals and the like, not churches.
Many states have required the coverage for a number of years.. and we never heard a fuss.
HIGHLIGHTS:
28 states require insurers that cover prescription drugs to provide coverage of the full range of FDAapproved contraceptive drugs and devices; 17 of these states also require coverage of related outpatient
services.
2 states exclude emergency contraception from the required coverage.
1 state excludes minor dependents from coverage.
20 states allow certain employers and insurers to refuse to comply with the mandate. 8 states have no such
provision that permits refusal by some employers or insurers.
4 states include a “limited” refusal clause that allows only churches and church associations to refuse to
provide coverage, and does not permit hospitals or other entities to do so.
7 states include a “broader” refusal clause that allows churches, associations of churches, religiously
affiliated elementary and secondary schools, and, potentially, some religious charities and universities to
refuse, but not hospitals.
8 states include an “expansive” refusal clause that allows religious organizations, including at least
some hospitals, to refuse to provide coverage; 2 of these states also exempt secular organizations with
moral or religious objections. (An additional state, Nevada, does not exempt any employers but allows
religious insurers to refuse to provide coverage; 2 other states exempt insurers in addition to employers.)
14 of the 20 states with exemptions require employees to be notified when their health plan does not
cover contraceptives.
4 states attempt to provide access for employees when their employer refuses to offer contraceptive
coverage, generally by allowing employees to purchase the coverage on their own, but at the group rate.
http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_ICC.pdf
While churches are exempt, hospitals and schools with religious affiliations must comply. The new policy goes into effect on August 1, but religious groups will have a year-long extension to enforce the rule.
Catholics, whose teaching opposes abortion and the use of contraceptives, have especially railed against the plan.
Several Catholic clergy members have denounced the policy from the pulpit, while on the campaign trail, Newt Gingrich used it as a heavy attack line against President Barack Obama, saying the president has “declared war on religious freedom.”
But O’Malley, who identified himself as a Catholic, noted Sunday that 28 states already enforce such a policy.
“This is not about abortion, it's about covering contraception as part of the health care coverage - mandatory basic coverage,” O’Malley told CNN’s Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.
He noted some European states with high Catholic populations have also mandated the coverage.
“These same rules apply in countries like Italy, which have overwhelming numbers of Catholics, and yet we did not see the reaction in those countries to these sorts of things,” he said.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/05/omalley-too-much-hyperventilating-over-contraception-controversy/
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