The state of California thinks churches should be forced to provide abortion coverage to its employees, no matter what its convictions, but one California legislator is trying to make sure that can’t happen.
Assemblywoman Shannon Grove
California Assemblywoman Shannon Grove introduced AB 1254 in an effort to stop the state from its strong-arm tactics that came when the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) issued a policy requiring mandatory abortion coverage on all of the insurance providers in the state.
Since churches and religious organizations provide health insurance, the result of this regulation was that churches were forced to fund death, violating their morals and consciences. Grove says that’s unacceptable:
“No one, especially religious organizations with moral objections, should be forced to pay for abortions in their healthcare plans. Not only is this an unconscionable assault on our most fundamental freedoms, it flagrantly violates federal law.”
Grove’s office notes:
“According to the Hyde-Weldon Conscience Protection Amendment, states like California receiving certain federal tax payer dollars are prohibited from discriminating against health insurance companies offering plans that don’t provide abortion coverage. The DMHC suddenly reinterpreted a 1975 California law mandating insurance plans cover “basic health care services.” On their own, state bureaucrats announced last August that all abortions are now to be considered ‘basic health services.’”
Life Legal Defense Foundation has been fighting this mandate, and filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over the mandate on behalf of employees at Loyola Marymount University, a private Catholic school. Now Life Legal Defense Foundation is urging support for Grove’s legislation, and it is asking Californians to contact their legislators in support of AB 1254.
Grove’s office noted:
“Ironically, California exempts certain religious employers, allowing them to not include contraceptive coverage in their health-care plans, but this exemption does not exist for abortions.”
Life Legal Defense Foundation adds a disturbing truth about this forced abortion coverage policy:
“Even more important: mandatory abortion coverage will lead to greater acceptance of abortion and to more child-killing.”
Grove’s office reminds individuals that AB 1254, “would simply require the DMHC to follow federal law and prohibit discrimination against healthcare companies selling health insurance policies without abortion coverage. This bill in no way prohibits health insurance companies from providing abortion coverage; it just removes the abortion coverage requirement.”
