Trump undermines U.S. birth control coverage requirement

[rooster59]

Trump undermines U.S. birth control coverage requirement

By Sarah N. Lynch and Caroline Humer

 

Supporters of contraception rally before Zubik v. Burwell, an appeal brought by Christian groups demanding full exemption from the requirement to provide insurance covering contraception under the Affordable Care Act, is heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington March 23, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/Files

 

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Friday undermined requirements under the Obamacare law that employers provide insurance to cover women's birth control, keeping a campaign pledge that pleased his conservative Christian supporters.

 

Administration officials said effective immediately two new federal rules will let any non-profit or for-profit entity make religious or moral objections to obtain an exemption from the law's contraception mandate. The changes also let publicly traded companies obtain a religious exemption.

 

It was not clear how many employers would actually drop birth control coverage on religious grounds. The move drew praise from conservative Christian activists and congressional Republicans. It was criticized by reproductive rights advocates and Democrats. Some states and groups including the American Civil Liberties Union vowed to sue to block the move.

 

"This is a landmark day for religious liberty. Under the Obama administration, this constitutional right was seriously eroded," Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said.

 

"This administration's contempt for women reaches a new low with this appalling decision," top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said.

 

Trump, who criticized the birth control mandate in last year's election campaign, won strong support from conservative Christian voters. The Republican president signed an executive order in May asking for rules that would allow faith-based groups to deny their employees insurance coverage for services they oppose on religious grounds.

 

"We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied or silenced anymore," Trump said at the time.

 

The contraception mandate was one provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement. Trump and Republicans in Congress campaigned against Obamacare, as the law is known, but could not get enough votes to repeal it as they promised.

 

"The Trump administration just took direct aim at birth control coverage for 62 million women," Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards said in a statement.

 

"With this rule in place, any employer could decide that their employees no longer have health insurance coverage for birth control," Richards added.

 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services broadened narrow religious exemptions to include an exception "on the basis of moral conviction" for non-profit and for-profit companies.

 

Federal rules implemented under Obamacare required employers to provide health insurance that covers birth control, but religious houses of worship were exempted. Some private businesses sued regarding their rights to circumvent such coverage, and the Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that they could object on religious grounds.

 

'ALIENATING POTENTIAL SHAREHOLDERS'

 

Case Western Reserve University School of Law professor Jonathan Adler said it was unlikely publicly traded companies would seek exemptions. "Why would a publicly traded company risk alienating potential shareholders by taking such a step?" Adler said.

 

According to one estimate, only 3 percent of nonprofit groups offering health benefits have objected to contraceptives coverage.

 

"All Americans should have the freedom to peacefully live and work consistent with their faith without fear of government punishment," the conservative Christian legal activist group Alliance Defending Freedom said in a statement praising the administration's action.

 

"HHS has issued a balanced rule that respects all sides - it keeps the contraceptive mandate in place for most employers and now provides a religious exemption," said Mark Rienzi, one of the lawyers for the Little Sisters of the Poor. The order of Roman Catholic nuns, which runs care homes for the elderly, had challenged the mandate in court.

 

The Little Sisters and other Christian nonprofit employers objected to a 2013 compromise offered by the Obama administration that allowed entities opposed to providing contraception insurance coverage to comply with the law without actually paying for the required coverage.

 

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he was "prepared to take whatever action it takes" to defend the mandate that health insurers provide birth control.

 

The Justice Department released two memos that will serve as the government's legal basis for justifying the rule and laying out a framework for how apply religious liberty issues in legal opinions, federal rules and grant making.

 

One memo instructs Justice Department employees to incorporate its legal arguments on religious freedom into litigation strategies and how they review rules. A second memo used a similar directive to government agencies to be used in the course of "employment, contracting and programming."

 

In another decision popular with Trump's evangelical supporters, the Justice Department on Wednesday reversed federal policy and declared that federal law banning sex discrimination in the workplace does not protect transgender employees. Trump also has removed protections for transgender students and moved to ban transgender people from the military.

 

Trump's support among evangelical voters, a major force in his 2016 election victory, remains strong, but has been slipping in line with his overall approval ratings, according to recent Reuters/Ipsos poll results.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-07

[Golgota]

Bigotry is in full force one more time. Let's promote discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation and race.. For sure the US is on a dark path.. And one more time Tangerine#45 seems to be more focused on "undoing" everything Obama did...

[dunroaming]

Trump continues on his mission to destroy the structure that was once the USA.

[attrayant]

Make it harder for the poorest people to get birth control, thereby ensuring tens of thousands more children will be born into a life of abject poverty. Maybe this is a plan to increase the number of red state voters.

[Jingthing]

5 hours ago, attrayant said:

Make it harder for the poorest people to get birth control, thereby ensuring tens of thousands more children will be born into a life of abject poverty. Maybe this is a plan to increase the number of red state voters.

It's not really that long range.  45 is all about stoking up his core base which includes right wing bible thumpers.

He'll never have even close to majority support and  didn't even have that getting elected.  But keeping his hard core base pleased helps keep him in power, and maybe even reelected. The perverted clown potus himself has no morality, sexual or otherwise. 

[Basil B]

Yes, his right wing bible trumpeters have double standards...

 

Tim Murphy, pro-life Republican, resigns after allegedly asking his Mia Noi to have abortion.

 

Quote

An anti-abortion US lawmaker will resign after a report this week that he asked his lover to seek a termination during a pregnancy scare.

Tim Murphy announced on Wednesday night he would not stand in next year's mid-term elections.

But the Pennsylvania Republican has now said he will resign from the House of Representatives on 21 October.

His lover suggested he was a hypocrite when he allegedly proposed she seek an abortion.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41520106

[Grouse]

Oh no! Delta Tango makes an embarrassingly moronic move! What a surprise ?

 

"You know when you've  been Tangoed!"

 

 

Edited October 7, 2017 by Grouse

[bedouin1990]

I never understood why Obama wanted this birth control feature in the first place. Statistics show that, first, poor people have the majority of births out of wedlock, AND the majority of abortions are sought by the poor. Democrats favor the poor because the overwhelming majority of those that vote, vote Democratic (as do illegal immigrants). By restricting the poor's access to BC, you increase the number of potential voters when they reach majority. Seems counterproductive to me. And for the Right, restricting the availability of both BC and abortion, is contributing to a future increase in the number of Democratic voters .             But, with politics, where is it written that things must make sense?

[sirineou]

19 minutes ago, bedouin1990 said:

I never understood why Obama wanted this birth control feature in the first place. Statistics show that, first, poor people have the majority of births out of wedlock, AND the majority of abortions are sought by the poor. Democrats favor the poor because the overwhelming majority of those that vote, vote Democratic (as do illegal immigrants). By restricting the poor's access to BC, you increase the number of potential voters when they reach majority. Seems counterproductive to me. And for the Right, restricting the availability of both BC and abortion, is contributing to a future increase in the number of Democratic voters .             But, with politics, where is it written that things must make sense?

 Well put

Both are extremist policies my friend, Politics now days are such that politicians have retreated to the safety bankers lobing political hand grenades at each other and don't care about the damage they do to those of us that live in the middle at no man's land.

I think it is a result of a two party system.

Most of as live in the middle we don't support indiscriminate abortions at any stage, but do need protections for terminating very early or preventing  pregnancies, or  in cases of rape, or health issues. 

Edited October 7, 2017 by sirineou

[OMGImInPattaya]

I've never understood why Obama mandated I have to pay for others' birth control choices...at least he could have paid for my condoms too.

[sirineou]

12 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

I've never understood why Obama mandated I have to pay for others' birth control choices...at least he could have paid for my condoms too.

Because you are such a handsome man , it would had being a crime to deprive humanity from the products of your procreation efforts. 

Edited October 7, 2017 by sirineou

[boomerangutang]

Trump has been a yo yo on all sides of this issue.  He now thinks he can bolster his base with this ridiculous and cruel legislation.  The same right-wing Christian base which has no problem with him being a pussy-grabber and child rapist.  Today is the 1 year anniversary of the pussy-grabbing tape getting publicized. 

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

49 minutes ago, bedouin1990 said:

I never understood why Obama wanted this birth control feature in the first place. Statistics show that, first, poor people have the majority of births out of wedlock, AND the majority of abortions are sought by the poor. Democrats favor the poor because the overwhelming majority of those that vote, vote Democratic (as do illegal immigrants). By restricting the poor's access to BC, you increase the number of potential voters when they reach majority. Seems counterproductive to me. And for the Right, restricting the availability of both BC and abortion, is contributing to a future increase in the number of Democratic voters .             But, with politics, where is it written that things must make sense?

Vile trumpist propaganda. Demonizing poor people, lying about illegals voting in significant numbers, ignorant stereotyping of democrats, and throw in some implied misogyny as well for good measure. 

Edited October 7, 2017 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Just now, boomerangutang said:

Trump has been a yo yo on all sides of this issue.  He now thinks he can bolster his base with this ridiculous and cruel legislation.  The same right-wing Christian base which has no problem with him being a pussy-grabber and child rapist.  Today is the 1 year anniversary of the pussy-grabbing tape getting publicized. 

 

 

 

 

He gets away with anything and everything until he doesn't. I think Charlottesville made some big cracks in his toxic hateful Teflon. 

[Trouble]

This is not about being pro-abortion or anti-abortion/birth control.  It is about forcing an anti-abortion/birth control religious institution such as the Catholic Church to pay and provide coverage for something that their faith is adamantly opposed to.  This change in rules does NOT affect most people in the USA. It's not about poor people not getting those services. It is about not forcing someone to provide something to which their belief system is opposed. Once again this is an issue that is made into something of a political issue which is really not that significant to the majority of Americans with health coverage.  In most cases, individuals who work for organizations who oppose paying for abortions/birth control have the option of paying that portion of the insurance which might cover such services themselves.  It was one of many rules that were thrown in to Obamacare without thinking the process through and having adequate debate on the subject before it was passed into law. Obamacare to be sure was a social engineering project to redistribute wealth and support a voting base. Yes, it brought many uninsured people into the health care system, a good portion of those getting subsidies to their premiums. It was another attempt to provide services to one group at the expense of another group.  Although many will argue that Obamacare is a success it has in reality completely **uck** up the health insurance industry. Anthem Blue Cross announced that the market for the plans under Covered California has become unstable and is in 2018 only going to offer three plans under the AFA in 28 Northern California counties, so it's basically pulling out of all more populous counties of California reducing the product available to consumers under the Covered California plans of the AFA. So in the end Obamacare, while bringing coverage to some that heretofore had no coverage, has completely screwed up plans and premiums for a larger majority who now find themselves with increasing premiums, higher deductible, and less coverage.  It's collapsing under its own weight. This issue of abortion/birth control coverage was just one more thing thrown into the AFA without giving proper debate to the subject at hand irritating a whole group of people in the process that got no input into the process. Regardless of one's personal view on birth control/abortion it's the failure to take into consideration the views of others at the time the AFA was passed that have resulted in this tempest in a teapot.

Edited October 7, 2017 by Trouble

[Becker]

11 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

I've never understood why Obama mandated I have to pay for others' birth control choices...at least he could have paid for my condoms too.

Yes, and why do I have to pay for other people's roads, schools, police and military??? Enough with the communism - let them defend themselves the lazy bastards!!

[Skeptic7]

Just what the world needs...more unwanted/poor/disadvantaged children. All because of silly superstitious beliefs.

 

And further...these bible banging right wing-nuts are not at all pro life, but rather pro fetus, as they want absolutely NOTHING to do with taking care of all the unwanted children they are forcing women to bear by taking away birth control and making abortions more difficult. 

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 hour ago, Becker said:

Yes, and why do I have to pay for other people's roads, schools, police and military??? Enough with the communism - let them defend themselves the lazy bastards!!

All the things you cited are "public goods" that we all use and therefore it's proper that all pay for them. Are you saying women's parts are public goods for all to use?

[Becker]

6 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

All the things you cited are "public goods" that we all use and therefore it's proper that all pay for them. Are you saying women's parts are public goods for all to use?

If that's what you took away from my post then you have some serious issues you should try to deal with.

[OMGImInPattaya]

6 minutes ago, Becker said:

If that's what you took away from my post then you have some serious issues you should try to deal with.

I'm trying to understand your logic; I have no problem with anyone using birth control but why is it a public good that should be paid for by taxpayers?

Edited October 8, 2017 by OMGImInPattaya

[Becker]

43 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

I'm trying to understand your logic; I have no problem with anyone using birth control but why is it a public good that should be paid for by taxpayers?

Preventing unwanted children to be born by mothers who are often incapable of raising them properly is in my opinion a public good. If you don't agree with that that's fair enough but there's no need to emulate your hero (the man-child) and drag the discussion into the gutter .

[Golgota]

49 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

I'm trying to understand your logic; I have no problem with anyone using birth control but why is it a public good that should be paid for by taxpayers?

You know taxes sometimes pay things you will never benefit? Road at the other side of the country, cultural events you will never go...

[OMGImInPattaya]

2 hours ago, Becker said:

Preventing unwanted children to be born by mothers who are often incapable of raising them properly is in my opinion a public good. If you don't agree with that that's fair enough but there's no need to emulate your hero (the man-child) and drag the discussion into the gutter .

That's more like it...an actual argument. I still don't think it's a public good to subsidize other people's fertility but that can be settled in the political marketplace.

 

[OMGImInPattaya]

2 hours ago, Golgota said:

You know taxes sometimes pay things you will never benefit? Road at the other side of the country, cultural events you will never go...

I think people's fertility decisions are a little different than roads, and are not appropriate use of taxpayer's money. Reasonable people can disagree on this, however.

Edited October 8, 2017 by OMGImInPattaya

[Golgota]

6 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

I think people's fertility decisions are a little different than roads, and are not appropriate use of taxpayer's money. Reasonable people can disagree on this, however.

Obviously you never saw how teenagers manage fertility decisions.. Foster kids, poor kids with no parental supervisions and other things of the same kind cost much more money to the taxpayers than contraception 

[stevenl]

10 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

That's more like it...an actual argument. I still don't think it's a public good to subsidize other people's fertility but that can be settled in the political marketplace.

 

Just think of all the money it saves in child care and similar subsidies.

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

Taxpayers should want them all on birth control, and free vasectomies. Give incentives. $500 and a case of Schlitz Malt Liquor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Taxpayers should want them all on birth control, and free vasectomies. Give incentives. $500 and a case of Schlitz Malt Liquor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some might miss this, but citing Malt Liquor is an intentional racist insinuation directed at African Americans specifically. It's a code most Americans would get. The changes the perverted clown potus made impacts on all Americans regardless of race.

Such sick hateful rhetoric harkens back to other times in American history (when it was supposedly "great" before) when poor African Americans were targeted for sterilization and even intentional infection with syphilis for medical "research" ... an attitude towards ethnic minorities that the Nazis actually found inspiration from. 

Edited October 8, 2017 by Jingthing

[bedouin1990]

Like so many professional Liberals, Jinthing sees some "-ism" to apply. Many people in the US drink malt liquor, and the majority of the poor are white, not black. Calling "sick hateful rhetoric" is NOT an argument, but Leftist jingoism (see, I used an -ism). And have other readers noticed what rhetoric Jinthing uses against Trump ( I did NOT vote for him)? Before pointing a finger one should consider the 3 pointing back at you.

[stevenl]

48 minutes ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Taxpayers should want them all on birth control, and free vasectomies. Give incentives. $500 and a case of Schlitz Malt Liquor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Who is them?