Churches who buy healthcare plans for workers now must include  abortion coverage - regardless of their branch of faith or beliefs.

The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has agreed with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that a 40-year old statute can now be used to force churches to lose their religious freedom of choice.

The regulation, which requires health care plans to offer "basic health services" has been "misinterpreted" according to the ACLU, and therefore, wrongly applied.   According to The Federalist online:

"Every plan in the state was immediately ordered, effective August 22, to cover elective abortion. California had not even applied this test to its own state employee health plans (which covered only “medically necessary” abortions)."

Now, ALL healthcare plans in CA are being forced to not cover Plan B,  not contraceptives, but planned, elective abortion!    While churches can choose plans that side step covering what are called "chemical abortions"  they must provide coverage for what are called "elective surgical dismemberment abortion."   We will let your imagination come up with what that means...it's as horrific as it sounds...

According to The Federalist:

"This California mandate is in blatant violation of federal law that specifically prohibits California from discriminating against health care plans on the basis that they do not cover abortion. Alliance Defending Freedom and Life Legal Defense Foundation have filed administrative complaints with the HHS Office of Civil Rights (which oversees this federal law) on behalf of individual employees and seven California churches forced into abortion coverage in violation of their conscience."  (Bold lettering added for emphasis).

You recall the Hobby Lobby battle that ultimately ended with the company winning; and not being forced to provide abortion coverage.   But what is shocking about THIS ruling is that while Hobby Lobby was a private, for-profit company,  churches are the very foundation of non-profit religious freedoms.

If the State of California can force churches to disregard their faith,  what is next on the horizon in other states, or the Federal level?   What is the future of religious freedom in America?

The Family Policy Institute of Washington points out, similar attempts have been made unsuccessfully in the legislature the past three years.  Do you remember the bills that would have required all insurance plans to cover abortions? They failed.   But the FPI points out, there will probably be more attempts through regulations and statutes now than the state House or Senate.

Why this sudden surge of "attacks" on churches and religious freedoms?  The FPI has an answer for that:

"In the very recent past, the left has been hysterical in explaining the need to maintain a rigid separation between church and state.  But that separation seems to be less important now if it would mean limiting the state from controlling the church."     (Bold lettering added for emphasis).

 

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