In reaction to the Obama administration’s decision to compel health insurance companies to cover contraception, many colleges and other catholic institution are revolting, suing the administration to try to prevent the health care polices of its employees from covering birth control.
One institution is going even further. On Monday Ave Maria University announced its own radical approach. According to an article by Mary Wozniak The News-Press:
Ave Maria University will no longer offer group health insurance plans to students as of Aug. 15.
University President Jim Towey said Monday that students and parents can thank the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which will force premiums to skyrocket 66 percent and also mandates no-cost coverage for contraceptive services, including sterilization and some abortion-inducing drugs.
As Towey (who, incidentally, has five children) puts it:
“This is going to increase the stakes in this discussion and bring new light to the importance of religious liberty and how the federal mandate is an assault on it,” Towey said. “This is extraordinary to see so many large Catholic institutions suing the federal government. I’m not sure this has happened in my lifetime.”
Well that’s great that it will “increase the stakes” but perhaps more importantly it means that 15 percent of your students won’t have any health insurance.
Why is the moral obligation to not use a health plan that covers birth control more important than the moral obligation to ensure the health of your students? [Image via]
