FRC Files Comments Opposing HHS Mandated Abortifacient Coverage, Narrow Conscience Exemption Under Obamacare

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In comments filed today with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Family Research Council (FRC) expressed strong opposition to the HHS and Obama administration's "contraceptive mandate" which will force all health insurance plans to include abortifacient drugs.  

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This first roll-out of the 2010 healthcare law, commonly known as "Obamacare," requires certain preventive services for women to be covered with no cost to the patient, including all FDA-approved contraceptives, which include drugs and devices that can destroy rather than prevent life. The mandate offers very narrow conscience protections, essentially relegating the exercise of such solely for places of worship. Close to 12,000 FRC constituents have filed comments with the government asking that the regulation be rescinded.

Jeanne Monahan, Director of FRC's Center for Human Dignity, made the following comments:

"Family Research Council strongly opposes this unprecedented mandate which violates conscience and religious freedom protections currently in place to protect the American people from government interference.  

"Without a doubt, the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives included in this mandate will involve a variety of drugs and devices with mechanisms of action that can destroy rather than prevent life. This will violate the consciences of millions of Americans who are pro-life. Moreover, the contraceptive mandate included as a 'preventive service' defies common sense because pregnancy is not a disease or disabling condition.  And coercive distribution of potentially abortion-causing contraceptives is not health care.

"It is not the role of the Administration to dictate what does or does not violate another person's conscience, especially on matters as critical as life and death.

"So few religious groups will be eligible for the exemption from the mandate as currently drafted that many religious employers will have to drop health coverage for their employees or violate their moral convictions on a matter of life and death. This undermines the primary goal of the PPACA, which was greater health insurance access."

To read FRC's complete submitted comments, click here: http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF11I58.pdf

To read a Q/A document on the topic by FRC staff, click here: http://downloads.frcaction.org/EF/EF11G04.pdf

SOURCE Family Research Council