Catholics voice concerns about birth control mandate

A federal mandate requiring non-profit employers, including some with religious affiliations, to provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plan is causing concerns among Catholics both locally and across the country.

“Our religious liberty is being violated,” Bishop Michael Pfeifer of the Diocese of San Angelo said.

All U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved forms of contraception will be available to women with most new and renewed health plans without cost sharing, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The final ruling was announced Jan. 20 and is scheduled to go into effect on Aug. 1, 2012.

Specifically, the preventative services requirements concerning contraceptives applies to non-grandfathered health plans beginning on or after Aug. 1, 2012, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas representative Ross Blackstone said.

Certain religious organizations, including churches, would be exempt from paying their insurers to cover contraception although others, including those that employ people of other faiths, can qualify for a one year transition period, according to an email from Keith Maley with Health and Human Services.

Those qualifying for the transitional period will have until Aug. 1, 2013, to comply with the law.

No one will be forced to buy or use contraception and women who choose to use it will have access through their insurance without paying a co-pay or deductible, according to Maley’s email.

For Catholics, who believe in the sanctity of life, including unborn life, requiring coverage that includes sterilization measures goes against their religious beliefs, Odessa priest Father Mark Woodruff said.

Pfeifer voiced his concern through a letter and urged local clergy to inform their congregations about the issue.

“I talked about it this last Sunday,” Woodruff said.

Many expressed interest in sending letters of their own to local government representatives, Woodruff said.

“I have already sent a letter to President Obama,” Woodruff said.

Already there has been an outpouring of support, even from people in other Christian denominations, Pfeifer said.

Pfeifer said they plan on using the year-long transitional period for legislative efforts.

“I just encourage people of all religions and people of good will to look at this through the framework of the First Amendment,” Pfeifer said.

@OAhealth