After some pretty heavy backlash from religious leaders over the so-called Birth Control Mandate—an Obamacare stipulation requiring religious institutions to cover birth control through insurance—the White House has proposed a compromise allowing even more religiously affiliated universities, hospitals and other agencies to opt out of paying for its employees' birth control.
The compromise, which was proposed yesterday, comes after an earlier mandate change last spring, in which the Obama administration allowed religious institutions and organizations that primarily service their own faith to shift the cost of contraceptives to their insurers. But that wasn't quite enough to soothe the rage of the religious masses, so the White House has gone ahead and expanded the exemption umbrella so affiliated employers, even those who work with people of other faiths, would have no hand in providing or paying for birth control if they provide a religious objection in writing. Instead, female employees can work separately with third-party insurers, which secretary of health and human services Kathleen Sebelius says will provide "women across the nation with coverage of recommended preventive care at no cost, while respecting religious concerns."
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who sued the Obama administration over the mandate last year, says he will look over the terms of the new proposal carefully before issuing any statement on it. But a group of priests in Staten Island, self-named Priests For Life, aren't any happier with the compromise. "We see only one acceptable change regarding the mandate: rescind it completely," Revered Frank Pavone, a member of the group, told SI Advance, so it looks like there's no compromise to be had there.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post hailed the compromise as a win for the Catholic Church, and commended the Obama administration on extending its hand to religious groups.
