This is outrageous. HHS has issued its final ruling on exemptions from contraceptive coverage for health plans even in the face of religious obejctions. Too bad.
And in what passes for compromise for the lunatic secular left currently running the country, they will give religious groups an extra year to comply if you can PROVE you are really a religious group (which is difficult to impossible with these people), but comply you will.
This is outrageous. We must demand that the next President/Congress reverse this on day 1.
A statement by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
In August 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services issued an interim final rule that will require most health insurance plans to cover preventive services for women including recommended contraceptive services without charging a co-pay, co-insurance or a deductible. The rule allows certain non-profit religious employers that offer insurance to their employees the choice of whether or not to cover contraceptive services. Today the department is announcing that the final rule on preventive health services will ensure that women with health insurance coverage will have access to the full range of the Institute of Medicine’s recommended preventive services, including all FDA -approved forms of contraception. Women will not have to forego these services because of expensive co-pays or deductibles, or because an insurance plan doesn’t include contraceptive services. This rule is consistent with the laws in a majority of states which already require contraception coverage in health plans, and includes the exemption in the interim final rule allowing certain religious organizations not to provide contraception coverage. Beginning August 1, 2012, most new and renewed health plans will be required to cover these services without cost sharing for women across the country.
After evaluating comments, we have decided to add an additional element to the final rule. Nonprofit employers who, based on religious beliefs, do not currently provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plan, will be provided an additional year, until August 1, 2013, to comply with the new law. Employers wishing to take advantage of the additional year must certify that they qualify for the delayed implementation. This additional year will allow these organizations more time and flexibility to adapt to this new rule. We intend to require employers that do not offer coverage of contraceptive services to provide notice to employees, which will also state that contraceptive services are available at sites such as community health centers, public clinics, and hospitals with income-based support. We will continue to work closely with religious groups during this transitional period to discuss their concerns.
Scientists have abundant evidence that birth control has significant health benefits for women and their families, it is documented to significantly reduce health costs, and is the most commonly taken drug in America by young and middle-aged women. This rule will provide women with greater access to contraception by requiring coverage and by prohibiting cost sharing.
This decision was made after very careful consideration, including the important concerns some have raised about religious liberty. I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services. The administration remains fully committed to its partnerships with faith-based organizations, which promote healthy communities and serve the common good. And this final rule will have no impact on the protections that existing conscience laws and regulations give to health care providers.
Religious liberty means do what we say in one year? These people are monsters!!
Update from Matt: hey, remember when Obama was honored at Notre Dame and said:
Let’s honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded in clear ethics and sound science, as well as respect for the equality of women.”
I guess he wasn’t really telling the truth, huh? Looks like Notre Dame got played.
January 20, 2012 at 6:42 pm
You may have a year to pray for change. You may have a year to not encourage sinful actions. You may have a year…how generous of our betters.
January 20, 2012 at 6:48 pm
HHS does not make law, nor does Obama, nor does Obamacare. Congress makes law according to the voice of the people according to the will of the people. If Sebelius can make a ruling to make Catholics provide and pay for contraceptives, Sebelius can also make a rule that people ought not use contraceptives. Discrimination against virgins and chaste persons also discrimination against celibates. This rule alleges that all American citizens are rabid sex abusers and indifferent to their beloved partner's immortal soul which is inscribed in our founding principles. HHS rule is against our Declaration of Independence with its endowed gifts of unalienable rights. HHS rule denies our immortal soul. Yes, our immortal soul. Our immortal soul wherein lies all of man's genius. If all men are created equal, let them become celibate and refrain from incestuous lust and remain virgins, and we will not ask them to pay for it.
January 20, 2012 at 6:54 pm
What balance are they talking about? It is their way or the highway. I do find it interesting that they are telling organizations to notify their employees of this change. This seems to me that they want to advertise how good this administration is and therefore you should vote them back in? People need to wake up and vote these people out of office before they take every last liberity away from us and our churches!
January 20, 2012 at 6:55 pm
Ha, let all religious organizations tell HHS that all members are celibate, anyone who complains or files for contraceptives use is OUT. With the job market at nil, there will be many who will embrace chastity out of expediency and self-preservation. It is time to play hard ball with the numbnuts.
January 20, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Didn't the Supreme Court just rule that churches cannot be discriminated against by law in hiring practices? If government wants more people on unemployment, unemployed, hungry and using contraceptives. Now that makes sense. Go for it.
January 20, 2012 at 7:07 pm
No doubt that sad shell of a group: "Democrats for Life" wil explain to us once again how very Pro-Life Obamacare is. Thank you, Stupak contingent.
January 20, 2012 at 7:10 pm
"Scientists have abundant evidence that birth control has significant health benefits for women and their families."
Please clarify… do they mean the weight gain?
The mood swings?
The breakthrough bleeding?
The loss of libido?
The blood clots?
The strokes?
The breast cancer?
A dead woman here and there?
A dead baby here and there?
January 20, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Ha. Catholic groups do not have any contraceptives users. Let us make this a documented reality.
January 20, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Well at least this should make November easy for Catholics workers to vote:
1. Keep hospitals open and keep your benefits
2. Vote for Obama and no more Catholic health care or worker benefits.
January 20, 2012 at 8:01 pm
You know what? I think a bunch of NFP users ought to demand free charts, thermometers, appointments with NFP counselors, etc. from their *secular* employers' health coverage under the rule that women are entitled to the "full range" of these "services." What, you only cover poison pills and prophylactics? You're going to make poor women *pay* for a decent basal thermometer and other NFP necessities? How discriminatory of you! etc. The agenda here is so transparent that it's sickening: anything natural (having babies, using NFP or other natural means of fertility regulation, etc.) is "bad" and anything artificial (ingesting hormone-altering chemicals, putting up latex barriers, aborting, etc.) is "good." Welcome to the brave new world.
January 20, 2012 at 8:20 pm
What Blackrep said.
January 20, 2012 at 8:20 pm
What Blackrep said.
January 20, 2012 at 8:20 pm
This line is the real kicker (was the comma intentional?):
"The administration remains fully committed to its partnerships with faith-based organizations, which promote healthy communities and serve the common good."
Sec. Sebelius, naturally, determines what constitutes a healthy community and the common good.
On the bright side, if Santorum gets the Republican nomination, there may actually be a discernible difference between the two major presidential candidates this time around.
January 20, 2012 at 8:30 pm
Operation "Convert Churches Into Planned Parenthood Centers" a total success!
January 20, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Last time I checked, the Church taught that artificial contraception, the one mandated by HHS for Catholic agencies to fund, was taught to be immoral and consequently sinful. So, in essence HHS is mandating the Church agencies to collaborate with a sinful act? Imagine my shock – this coming from the most ethical administration ever. Ethical my ass. The Pope has written out another warning about these godless bastards. Expect it to get worse until Obama gets out.
January 20, 2012 at 9:04 pm
"The challenge that these regulations posed for many groups remains unresolved," said Sister Carol Keehan, president of the group. "This indicates the need for an effective national conversation on the appropriate conscience protections in our pluralistic society."
When are the people who got us into this mess going to be excommunicated???
January 20, 2012 at 9:36 pm
Another effort by Obama and Co. to do as much damage as possible before those chickens come home to roost.
January 20, 2012 at 10:09 pm
And if you try to resist, I bet you get a free tour of Gitmo.
January 20, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Obamas health schemes are simply a different version of Romneycare and the rest of the Republicare schemes being peddled. Give the state power and it will be used against you. Birth control, sex dysfunctions and eugenics is a favorite attack by the power elite one world order gang. Ron Paul is the only one against it.
January 20, 2012 at 10:15 pm
The first and foremost reason that Obamacare is illegal, pernicious and dangerous is because it is the duty of the state to protect and defend virginity, chastity, innocence and every virtue which our Creator has endowed within the immortal soul of the sovereign person (The Declaration of Independence), so that government can bring forth informed consent and nurture the emancipation and maturity of every citizen as government has been authorized authentically to do. Only truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth has freedom. All else is perjury and criminal invasion against the innocence of our constitutional posterity, violation of virginity, and ultimately rape of our children’s minds and souls. Yes. There is pornography, the vice that degrades all men into the pit of lust. There is homosexual activity that denigrates the immortal soul of man, whom God, our Creator, in His infinite wisdom and grace through Divine Providence, has instilled in man’s soul a desire for love, fruitful, merciful, and gentle. Yes. There is abortion, the destruction of nature and nature’s God (The Declaration of Independence) to dispose of the will of God and impose the will of man against the will of God. Every vice brings America to ruin, while every virtue builds up the general welfare and the common good. America is constituted by the sovereign personhood endowed by our Creator when the newly begotten immortal soul of the person comes into existence through, and with and in God WHO is EXISTENCE, WHO IS BEING. Therefore, man is called a human BEING, a human BEING, whose civil rights to freedom in the exercise of innocence and all virtue is being impinged upon by all vice, selfishness, invincible ignorance and Satanic activity. The government needs the prayers of the church, needs the prayers of the faithful, needs the acknowledgement of God to bring about and keep order for its very continuance, lest the evil, insurmountable and uncountable, submerge our nation into oblivion. Annihilated? No. America was once a great and prosperous nation. Freedom was accomplished, for ourselves and other peoples. Would these rescued peoples recognize us anymore through the proliferation of abortion, prostitution, pornography, sodomy, perjury and violation of every virtue? Would theses rescued peoples want to? It is the duty of government to protect and defend every innocent citizen. Contraception is a lie. Pornography is a lie. Abortion is a lie. Sodomy is a lie. Prostitution is a lie. Perjury is a lie.