NYT: U.S. Stands Behind Policy on Contraceptive Coverage

[babylonsister]

U.S. Stands Behind Policy on Contraceptive Coverage
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: June 28, 2013 132 Comments


WASHINGTON — Despite strong resistance from religious organizations, the Obama administration said Friday that it was requiring most employers to provide free insurance coverage of contraceptives for women, a decision that has touched off a furious legal and political battle likely to rage for another year.

The rule adopts a simplified version of an approach proposed by the government in February to balance the interests of women with the concerns of the Roman Catholic Church and other employers who have religious objections to providing coverage for contraceptives.

After considering more than 400,000 comments, administration officials refused to budge on the change that grew out of the overhaul of the health care law. The final rule, they said, is very similar to their proposal that figured prominently into last year’s elections as Democrats pressed their advantage with female voters.

Democrats describe the mandate for coverage of birth control as one of the chief benefits of the 2010 health care law, a boon to women and their health.

“The health care law guarantees millions of women access to recommended preventive services at no cost,” said Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services. “Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to respect the concerns of houses of worship and other nonprofit religious organizations that object to contraceptive coverage, while helping to ensure that women get the care they need, regardless of where they work.”

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/29/us/politics/final-rule-issued-for-contraceptive-coverage.html?hp&_r=0

[longship]

1. Fuck houses of worship!

The USA has a godless, secular government. If people want to eschew the use of contraceptives for religious reasons that's their right via the First Amendment religious freedom clause.

However, because of the First Amendment religious exclusion clause (and copious case law findings), no religion has the right to use legislative fiat to impose their beliefs on the populace, no matter what their majority.

If they don't like this, cry me a river. Or maybe they ought to just move to a theocratic country where such practices aren't unconstitutional.

On edit: I am sick and fucking tired of the theocratic Republican Party.

[babylonsister]

2. OK, but admit this is a good thing? No one else seems to care.

[longship]

3. Indeed, it is.

But tell that to the theocratic Republican Party. They're the ones opposing access to the pill, which I thought was resolved in the sixties!

Apparently not, eh?

Cry, indeed. I am there with you.