Posted on 05/24/2024 8:13:35 PM PDT by Morgana
A New York Court of Appeals has rejected a challenge by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany to a state law that requires all employers to offer “medically necessary” abortion coverage under their health insurance policies.
“Medically necessary” abortions are defined as “necessary to prevent, diagnose, correct, or cure conditions in the person that cause acute suffering, endanger life, result in illness or infirmity, interfere with a person’s capacity for normal activity, or threaten some significant handicap.” Exactly what qualifies is said to be up to the discretion of the abortionist.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and other church groups challenged the 2017 rule on the basis that its religious exemptions were too narrow. The only organizations exempt from the rule were those non-profits whose primary purpose was the “inculcation of religious values” and who employed and served those who shared those beliefs. Under those guidelines, the Catholic Church, which both serves and employs a wide variety of people who are not necessarily Catholic, would be excluded from any religious exemptions.
“DFS’s actions have ensured that women in New York have control over their reproductive choices, and that insurers cover abortions and contraceptives with no copayments, deductibles or any out-of-pocket costs,” Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris said in a statement.
Gov. Kathy Hochul weighed in on the court’s ruling, calling the churches “right wing extremists” for fighting a mandate that states they must pay for the killing of preborn children. “While right-wing extremists attempt to undermine our fundamental freedoms, New York will continue standing strong to protect women’s health care and safeguard abortion rights,” Hochul said.
The New York State Catholic Conference decried both the court’s ruling and Hochul’s statement.
“We continue to believe that the regulatory action by the state, as well as subsequent legislative action, requiring religious organizations to provide and pay for coverage of abortion in its employee health plans is unconstitutional and unjust,” Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, said in a statement. “It will come as a surprise to exactly no one that abortion violates the tenets of the Catholic Church. By forcing this mandate on our ministries, the state has unconstitutionally entangled itself in the free exercise of our faith.”
The Diocese has said it will appeal to the Supreme Court.
Editor’s Note 5/24/24: This article was updated with more details on medical necessity.
Unacceptable.
Another step towards the criminalization of Christianity.
I demand the government force anti-gun groups to pay for my firearms I need to buy for my self-defense.
At least in my case the person I will be attempting to neutralize is an actual threat to my life and won’t be innocent.
Stop offering medical coverage.
Almost no abortion is medically necessary but the pro aborts redefine everything as good little leftists are want to do and say the exact opposite.
1. Fire all the non-Catholics who work for you.
2. Expel all the non-Catholic students from your schools.
THE END.
This is just one more reason why you never hear Mennonites or Muslims complain about this kind of crap. They treat "inclusive" as a four-letter word and carry out their mission on their own.
Yep. Problem solved.
The only termination of pregnancy that has ever been allowed to my knowledge, is an etopic pregnancy, which has NEVER been classified as an abortion as far as I know.
Nobody is trying to stop saving the life of the mother when the baby is already dead. And if the tube ruptures, the baby died almost instantly. And the mother very shortly after.
9 replies after 12 hours: And FReepers expect God (if they even believe in Him) to intercede to turn this nation back to its former sanity?
Author is the devil. Interfere with a person’s capacity for normal activity would disallow being a mother, among many things, Covid restrictions being one.
PURE EVIL!!
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