Catholic Bishops hail medical conscience protection by Trump administration catholicnewsagency.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from catholicnewsagency.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Department of Health and Human Services determined that the state was violating a federal antidiscrimination law, known as the Weldon Amendment, that protects insurers from being forced to provide abortion coverage, the department said in a statement.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in the statement that California had violated federal conscience laws and refused to take corrective action. “So we are now taking action to hold them to account,” he said.
The Office of Civil Rights, a division of the Health and Human Services department, initially investigated California based on complaints filed by a Catholic order of religious sisters and a nonprofit Christian church that objected to “paying for elective abortion insurance for themselves and their colleagues,” the statement said.
Trump administration cuts $200 million in healthcare funds to California over abortion insurance requirement abc11.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from abc11.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
HHS wants California to come into compliance with rule pertaining to abortions
California requires insurance providers to fully cover abortion procedures
Trump administration warned California earlier this year it could lose funding
Administration accused California of violating anti-discrimination law
Weldon Amendment protects insurers from being forced to cover abortions
Governor Newsom blasted move as attempt to score cheap political points
The Trump administration said Wednesday it was cutting $200million in federal healthcare funding to California because the state requires insurance providers to cover abortions.
The US Department of Health and Human Services said it will withhold the funding from Medicaid in the new fiscal quarter starting in January and if the state does not come into compliance the department will cut an additional $200million per fiscal quarter.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Credit: Stephen Driscoll/CNA
CNA Staff, Dec 17, 2020 / 11:00 am (CNA).- Leading U.S. bishops applauded the Trump administration Thursday for enforcing conscience protections in health care.
At the White House on Wednesday, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Alex Azar said the agency would withhold $200 million in Medicaid funds to California over its mandate that employers cover abortions in health plans despite the objections of pro-life and Christian organizations subject to the mandate.
The administration also announced it would be enforcing another case through the HHS Office for Civil Rights on Wednesday. The Justice Department will file a lawsuit against the University of Vermont Medical Center, after a nurse was reportedly forced to assist in an abortion there, and after the hospital refused to adjust its policy to allow for conscientious opt-outs for staff opposed to abortions.