The Obama administration says health insurance plans under the government-organized system must cover birth control as "preventive care" for women, with no copays, beginning in 2013.
The rules issued Monday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius include a provision that would allow religious institutions to opt out of offering birth-control coverage. But critics say the conscience exemption will not cover faith-based groups engaged in activities other than worship.
Paul Rondeau of the American Life League says it is no surprise that the administration would impose this requirement. "This recommendation by an organization -- which, in fact, is already on record as supporting abortion and considering it 'women's healthcare' -- this was a foregone conclusion back when ObamaCare assigned it to the Institute of Medicine to make recommendations at a later date," he states.
With no copay, insurance companies are expected to pass the cost on to their customers through slightly higher premiums -- meaning individuals who object will be forced to cover the cost of birth control for others.
Coverage with no copays for the "morning-after" pill is likely to become the most controversial part of the change, because some religious conservatives say Plan B and ellaOne are abortion drugs. Rondeau points out there are no conscience protections for medical professionals.
"All pro-life medical health professionals working at an organization which does not qualify or does not apply for a religious exception ... are put at risk and are going to be forced into a situation of having to prescribe birth control and perhaps even commit morning-after abortions because they're not covered under this act," he laments.
Under the plan, counseling to prevent sexually transmitted diseases will be free. Historically that has meant prescribing contraception rather than teaching abstinence -- the only true method of preventing STDs.
Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow
