Catholic Group Changes Position On Obama Care
Key Catholic Group Changes Mind on ObamaCare ‘Compromise’
by Karla Dial
A Catholic organization that went against bishops’ recommendations last year has changed its mind about a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate for religious employers.
The Catholic Health Association (CHA) wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Friday that making insurance companies — rather than religious business owners — foot the bill for sterilization surgeries, possible abortifacient drugs and contraceptives for female employees is “unlikely to adequately meet the religious liberty concerns” of its 2,000 members.
CHA, which represents 600 Catholic hospitals and hundreds of other health groups nationwide, helped President Obama sell his idea to Congress last year, despite the opposition of faith groups from coast to coast. The Obama administration has said all employers must provide free “preventive health services” for women, with exemptions given only to churches.
