Note: This document is not an official teaching document of the Church’s Magisterium.

It represents the reflections of Fr Andre Metrejean.

How may I purchase health insurance coverage without cooperating in evil?

In order to answer this question, we need to look at a few issues:

1 Immoral Coverage
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (2010) and the follow-up regulations by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Mandate[1]), the vast majority of the health insurance plan include coverage for:
Ø  Surgical sterilization / Ø  Contraception and contraceptive counseling / Ø  Abortion inducing drugs/devices
2 Abortion surcharges
As a result of the Affordable Care Act many, if not the vast majority, of plans listed on the “insurance exchanges” charge an abortion surcharge. A private surcharge of at least $12 a year is paid by the policy holder toward a pool of money used for others to have an abortion. One might be on a plan and have to pay the surcharge without realizing it. The ACA prohibits insurances companies from disclosing to “potential enrollees whether a plan under consideration includes abortion.”[2]
http://www.usccb.org/news/2014/14-154.cfm
3 “The Accommodation”
What about the so-called “Accommodation” for Closely Held Companies (such as Hobby Lobby) or Religious Ministries? Long Story Short: It is simply a bureaucratic paper trick and does not address the real issue:
http://www.usccb.org/news/2014/14-145.cfm
http://www.ncbcenter.org/resources/hhs-mandate-regulatory-updates-fail-to-respect-religious-liberty

What are my options as an employer who desires to provide insurance coverage for my employees?[3]

Insurance Options / Level of Cooperation
With Moral Evil / Government
Fines / Notes:

(1) Full Consent

“Might as well get in line and provide what the government asks.” /

Formal Cooperation

Morally: Unacceptable / None /
Not a legitimate moral option
(2) Provide
Morally Upright
Insurance
“I will provide employees with an insurance policy that does not cover contraceptives, abortifacients, surgical sterilization or direct abortion.” /

No Cooperation

Morally: Acceptable / $100 per day per employee / Extremely Expensive:
Also difficult to find an insurance provider to provide such a plan.
(3) Offer no coverage at all to employees. /

No Cooperation

Morally: Acceptable / $2,000 per year per employee / Generally Speaking, the best option.
Smaller fees that option 2. But does expose the employees to buying polices themselves that cover abortion for others.
(Note: the first 30 full time employees are fine exempt).
(4) Temporarily provide immoral coverage with a *pre-packaged plan
under protest.
*Note: It is not morally acceptable to “design” a plan that covers objectionable content. / Mediate Material Cooperation
Morally: Acceptable
in some circumstances / No Fines / Involves a calm, complex, prayerful, well-thought out and informed healthy moral evaluation that needs to be constantly reassessed before choosing this option.
Please read http://www.ncbcenter.org/document.doc?id=585
Meanwhile, employers must fight against the HHS mandate politically and legally,

What about the individual who purchases health insurance for his/her family?

Homework should be done to ensure that one is not paying surcharges for an “abortion pool.” But there are many other issues besides the coverage for direct abortion. Please read http://www.ncbcenter.org/document.doc?id=585.

What should I do?

Oppose! Protest! Everyone is obligated to oppose these regulations. Internally: We cannot give full consent to these regulations or “give-up.” Externally: We cannot give impression that these regulations are acceptable:

1 Support Good Legislation:[4]

(a) S.946 No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act

Ø  Send e-mails through NCHLA’s Grassroots Action Center.Click Here.

Ø  Contact your Senators by phone. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Senators' local office:www.senate.gov.

o  Suggested Message: “Please co-sponsor and support the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, S. 946. Our tax dollars should not be used to fund or promote abortion.”

(b) H.R. 940 / S. 1204 Health Care Conscience Rights

Ø  Send ane-mailto your Representative and both Senators from your state.

Ø  Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or call their local offices: www.house.govandwww.senate.gov.

·  Suggested Message:"Please include the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (H.R. 940 / S. 1204) in upcoming 'must-pass' legislation. Government must not force Americans to violate their religious and moral beliefs on respect for life when they provide health care or purchase health coverage."

2 Oppose Bad Legislation

(a)  Oppose S. 2578 “Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act”

Ø  Read more about the problems of S. 2578:
Ø  http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/conscience-protection/upload/S-2578-Backgrounder.pdf
Ø  Send e-mails through the NCHLA. Click here.
Ø  Contact your Senators by phone. 202-224-3121. www.senate.gov.

3 Submit comments

Ø  The HHSinterim final rulesregarding the accommodation are in effect as of August 27, 2014, the date of official publication in the Federal Register. Written comments must be received by October 27, 2014. The CMSproposed rules regarding the definition of eligible organizations are open for written comment until October 21, 2014.

[1] Health Resources and Service Administration, “Women’s Preventive Services: Required Health Plan Coverage Guidelines,” August 2011, http://www.hrsa.gov/womensguidelines/.

[2] NCBC “Ethics and Medics,” February 2014, Volume 39, Number 2.

[3] Chart based on http://www.ncbcenter.org/document.doc?id=585

[4] http://cqrcengage.com/catholicbishops/app/write-a-letter?3&engagementId=42752