Responding to an HHS ruling that would allow religiously-affiliated groups such as hospitals to opt out of providing free contraception coverage for employees, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement saying the compromise doesn't go far enough for some institutions who object to the mandate on religious or moral grounds.
Under HHS' newest rule, religious institutions and religiously-affiliated non-profits can exclude free contraception coverage to employees and still comply with the federal health law's essential health benefits provision. Those employees would still be able to acquire that free coverage, paid for by insurance companies instead of the religious groups. Secular organizations led or owned by religious people are not eligible for the exemption.
President of the USCCB Cardinal Timothy Dolan said in a statement that the ruling "appears to offer second-class status to our first-class institutions in Catholic healthcare, Catholic education and Catholic charities. [HHS] offers what it calls an 'accommodation,' rather than accepting the fact that these ministries are integral to our church and worthy of the same exemption as our Catholic churches."
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Under HHS' newest rule, religious institutions and religiously-affiliated non-profits can exclude free contraception coverage to employees and still comply with the federal health law's essential health benefits provision. Those employees would still be able to acquire that free coverage, paid for by insurance companies instead of the religious groups. Secular organizations led or owned by religious people are not eligible for the exemption.
President of the USCCB Cardinal Timothy Dolan said in a statement that the ruling "appears to offer second-class status to our first-class institutions in Catholic healthcare, Catholic education and Catholic charities. [HHS] offers what it calls an 'accommodation,' rather than accepting the fact that these ministries are integral to our church and worthy of the same exemption as our Catholic churches."
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