Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Franciscan University Drops Student Coverage Citing Obama's HHS Mandate Violating Religious Conscience

By Susan Duclos

Via Franciscan University's website:

The Obama Administration has mandated that all health insurance plans must cover “women’s health services” including contraception, sterilization, and abortion-causing medications as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Up to this time, Franciscan University has specifically excluded these services and products from its student health insurance policy, and we will not participate in a plan that requires us to violate the consistent teachings of the Catholic Church on the sacredness of human life.

Additionally, the PPACA increased the mandated maximum coverage amount for student policies to $100,000 for the 2012-13 school year, which would effectively double your premium cost for the policy in fall 2012, with the expectation of further increases in the future.

Due to these changes in regulation by the federal government, beginning with the 2012-13 school year, the University 1) will no longer require that all full-time undergraduate students carry health insurance, 2) will no longer offer a student health insurance plan, and 3) will no longer bill those not covered under a parent/guardian plan or personal plan for student health insurance. The current student health insurance plan will expire on August 15, 2012.

We encourage you to decide how you are going to provide for accidents or illnesses requiring visits to physicians, health clinics, or the hospital emergency room while you are a student here. As always, our Health Center on campus will be staffed by a certified nurse practitioner Monday – Friday during normal business hours. No insurance is necessary to receive basic health-related services at the Health Center, and the visits cost only $5 at the time of service. However, if you are referred off campus for further lab testing, physician specialists, X-rays, etc., you will be responsible to pay for those services.

As Catholic Vote.org so succinctly put it "In short: We. Will. Not. Comply."

It isn't like Obama wasn't warned what would happen when he declared war on religion and decided he could force them to go against their religious conscience and violate their religious freedoms.

In February Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Jewish leaders all made it very clear in a House hearing that they would not comply with any mandate that violated their religious liberty.

To date there are 10 legal challenges against the Obama administration by religious groups and at least seven states have just filed lawsuits to block the requirement.

Texas, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina jointly filed the lawsuit in a Nebraska US District Court.

More than a dozen state attorneys general have signed onto a joint letter Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning started coordinating  against the controversial Obama mandate requiring religious employers to cover birth control and drugs that can cause abortions.

The Obama administration is running around in circles trying to get the courts to throw lawsuits against them out.

[Update- 5/16/12] Fox News now reporting this. Discussions at The Gateway Pundit and The PJ Tatler


Related pieces from WuA on Obama's Abortion Mandate:

Audio- Indiana Priest Speaks Out On Obama's War Against Religious Liberty With HHS Mandate

Eyes Back On The Ball: Obama's Abortion Mandate, Cardinal Dolan and Confusion.

Senate Democrats Table Blunt Amendment To stop Obama HHS Abortion Mandate

Seven States File Lawsuits To Block Obama's HHS Abortion Mandate

Six Lawsuits Now Filed Against Obama's HHS Mandate

Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Jewish Leaders Swear They Will Not Comply To Obama's Abortion Mandate

Priests for Life Associate Director is Arrested Outside White House

Harry Reid's Response To Americans Worried About Obama's Attack On Religion: 'Calm Down'

Catholic League: Obama Legacy- 'The President That Brought The Culture War To Boil'

Religious Freedom Lawsuits Against Obama's s Abortion Drug And Contraception Mandate

Catholic Churches And Bishop of Marquette Punch Back At Obama's War On Religion

Catholic League Prepared To Fight Back Against Obama's War On Religion