Catholic colleges may be forced to cover contraceptives including abortifacients as early as August of this year because the one year extension promised by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius may not apply to student insurance plans, according to Hannah C. Smith, Senior Counsel for The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.
Smith told The Cardinal Newman Society:
“I think that the announcement on Jan. 20th suggests that the extension only applies with respect to religious “employers” who do not fall within the “religious employers” exemption (and therefore not religious groups with respect to their student plans).”
Smith makes it clear that nothing is certain until the text of the regulation is released to the public which has not yet been done. But what’s clear is that many Catholic colleges may be forced to make a decision almost immediately on whether or not to comply with the HHS mandate as far as student plans go.
The deadline is August 1st, 2012.
On January 20, 2012, Secretary of HHS Kathleen Sebelius issued a statement that she would allow religious employers an additional year during which to comply with the contraception mandate. But the verbiage concerning the one year extension exclusively mentions “employers” and not student plans.
Sebelius wrote:
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.
It’s hard to imagine that Catholic colleges will take much comfort in Sebelius’ promise to work closely with them considering what dialogue has achieved thus far with this administration.
Some Catholics seem to believe that the courts will soon resolve this or they hope that the election in November could solve this issue because the Republican candidates have all been vowing to undo Obamacare’s infringement of religious liberty. But this August deadline will occur before the elections and nobody can say definitively what the courts will decide.
So that may leave the question up to the colleges themselves as to whether to comply or not come August of this year.
Belmont Abbey College President Bill Thierfelder who filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration famously said that he’d sooner close down the college than comply with this mandate.
Michael F. McLean, Ph.D., President of Thomas Aquinas College in California, released a statement just yesterday saying:
The Obama Administration has issued a mandate directing religious institutions such as Thomas Aquinas College to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives, sterilization, and even abortifacients. Because these are contrary to the teachings of the Church, Thomas Aquinas College cannot comply with this mandate and faces burdensome penalties as a result.
But other Catholic colleges like Georgetown University have already signaled that they plan to comply with the HHS mandate. Georgetown University spokesperson Stacy Kerr told the student newspaper that Georgetown will comply with all federal regulations. “If there are any changes to the law, Georgetown will continue to provide health insurance that is legally compliant,” she reportedly said. “We will be reviewing and evaluating the new regulations, ever mindful of our Catholic and Jesuit identity and mission.”
As soon as the language of the actual mandate is released, The Cardinal Newman Society will consult legal experts and update you on this situation.
Adam Wilson
CNS Staff
Matthew Archbold
Charlotte Hays
4 Comments
I saw crawl across the bottom of the morning news which read that a federal judge will decide whether to uphold a Washington State law which would allow pharmacists to honor their religious beliefs and not sell prescription contraceptives and abortifacients. Resistance is growing!
I do not understand why colleges must provide any type of insurance, especially if it must include coverage which violates the beliefs of the institution.
We are only beginning to see the camel’s nose inside the tent.
NO , NO and MORE NO…We will not be forced to offer our Catholic Religion to be required to offer consience objected services no matter what law Obama passes. Whats next? Required to offer Euthansia perhaps? How about infanticide for all purposes (aka..Chinese killing female babies). Juan Willaims and Greg Gutfeld on THE FIVE on FOX news tonight MOCKED OUR RELIGION OPENLY and none of the other ‘inconsequentails on the panel even could defend why we object to this HHS order. Juan contented law and the public good trumps religious belidf and we won’t want to lose Federal funding (all about money). This is precisely the intellectual argument of the left wing liberals for whom 58 % of Catholics ignorantly voted for, and most of our Religious leaders. Will we learn and vote for MORAL LEADERS OR NOT? THAT is the root cause issue with our Church ..the mistaken belief that SOCIALISM IS A GOOD..forgetting the likes of Stalen, Hitler, Mussolini Moa, etc..who all started with SPREAD THE WEALTH AND CONTROLS AND MURDER OF A HUNDRED MILLION HUMAN BEINGS. WAKE UP.
Why does this sound remarkably like the “‘burdensome” fines levied on faithful Catholics in England under Henry’s, then Elizabeth’s rule, when these faithful Catholics refused to buckle under and pledge allegiance to the “crown” as the head of the Church?? What’s next? Imprisonment? Executions?
The depth and breadth of the arrogance to give Catholics some time to dispense with their conscience to get on board is chilling. This is all a wake up call to prayer and action.