College Renews Fight over Birth Control Mandate
20140728102929700 1HomeNewsLATEST NEWSMorning Break: How One Doctor Got Rich, Myeloma QuizMOC Watch: Alternative Credit Pathways for FPsQuestioning Medicine: EHRs and Attention DeficitMedicare Pressed to Bargain on Drug CostsMORE IN NEWSAll NewsPolicy NewsPractice NewsSpecial ReportsEducationTOP CME/CEResuscitation in the ED: Beyond the ABCs Newman's Notes: Inside the Ondansetron Black Box Monitoring, Dose Adjustment for Pradaxa? Antiviral Group: 'Biomedical' Tx Could Slow HIVMORE IN EDUCATIONTop CME/CEState-RequiredClinical ContextTrackerConferencesLATEST MEETING COVERAGEThis Week: AIDS Progress, Vegan DietHIV Self-Testing Viable in Rural South AfricaVideo Games Help Teens Gain HIV SmartsReal-Life PrEP Works as HopedMORE IN CONFERENCEAll Conference CoverageConference A-ZOpinionIN OPINIONAnd Now a Word ...Building the Patient-Centered Medical HomeCelebrity DiagnosisConversations WithDr. WesFocus on PolicyFrom the EditorsGary SchwitzerIltifat HusainInOtherWordsIvan TodayKevin, M.D.Practice PointersPulmCCM CentralSHADOWFAXSpecial ReportsSurveysTim Johnson, MD: On HealthResourcesThis Week's SurveyShould Docs Push Vegan Diets?American College of Cardiology (ACC) president-elect Kim Williams, MD, says the ACC should try to "put itself out of business" by getting patients to switch to a vegan diet.Is there enough evidence to recommend that patients eat a vegan diet to prevent and reverse heart disease?CLINICAL DATABASESDrugsDiseasesProceduresClinical ChecklistsLabsMORE IN RESOURCESLung Cancer Therapy FinderMelanoma Therapy FinderPatient EducationGuide to BiostatisticsPutting Breaking Medical News Into PracticePlease enter a search termGet customized medical news and FREE CME!Select Your Specialty Select Specialties and Topics of Interest to Customize Your NewsAllergy & ImmunologyAnesthesiologyCardiovascularCritical CareDermatologyEmergency MedicineEndocrinologyGastroenterologyGeneticsGeriatricsHIV/AIDSHospital-Based MedicineInfectious DiseaseNephrologyNeurologyNursingOB/GynOncology/HematologyOphthalmologyOrthopedicsPain ManagementPathologyPediatricsPrimary CarePsychiatryPulmonologyRadiologyRheumatologySurgeryThe Gupta GuideTransplantationUrologyTOPICSBusinessPolicyLab NotesSpecial ReportsContinue to RegisterRegister for FREE customized news, conference, policy and practice coverage and CME tracking.
ADVERTISEMENTRegister TodayEarn Free CME Credits by reading the latest medical news in your specialty.Sign Up3emailprintWashington-WatchCollege Renews Fight over Birth Control MandatePublished: Aug 9, 2013By David Pittman
, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Todaysave|AAThe nonprofit Colorado Christian University (CCU) has again filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), trying to avoid an Affordable Care Act mandate to provide emergency contraceptives in its health plans.CCU asked the U.S. District Court in Colorado on Wednesday to declare an HHS rule requiring them to seek third-party coverage of certain contraceptives unconstitutional and to issue an injunction against its enforcement in the meantime.The school is the first nonprofit to challenge the rule, which became final in late June, according to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who is representing the university in the case. The arts-and-crafts retail giant Hobby Lobby and sister company Mardel, a Christian bookstore chain, won temporary relief last month from the ACA's contraception mandate.The school says the revisions in the rule before it was finalized still don't fully protect its religious objections to certain forms of contraception. The HHS rule allows employers with religious objections to arrange for separate contraceptive coverage through health plans that women employees would be able to enroll in at no cost."This would do nothing to resolve CCU's objections," the complaint read. "The 'accommodation' also creates administrative hurdles and other difficulties for CCU, forcing it to seek out and contract with companies willing to provide the very drugs and services it speaks out against."The school specifically cited objection to ulipristal (Ella), levonorgestrel (Plan B), and intrauterine devices."CCU cannot fulfill its mission of preparing students to impact the world by living their Christian values if it violates its own religious convictions by complying with the challenged regulations and facilitating access to abortion-causing drugs and devices and related counseling and services," the complaint read.Penalties for not complying with the law could exceed $12 million, the school said."No employer, particularly in this economy, should be forced to make the choice between violating their deeply held religious beliefs or paying a heavy fine and terminating their health insurance plans for employees and students," said Hannah Smith, senior legal counsel for the Becket Fund.The Lakewood, Colo., school enrolls more than 5,300 students and has 680 full- and part-time employees. CCU, which professes a "culture in support of ... sanctity of life," says it has no objections to certain contraceptives.Earlier this year, the same Colorado court dismissed CCU's challenge while waiting for the HHS rule to be finalized.The ACA's contraceptive mandate, which took effect on Aug. 1, 2012, says all new insurance policies must provide birth control with no copayment. That requirement was opposed by some faith-based employers who said it encroached on their religious freedom by forcing them to provide contraceptive coverage against their will.The Obama administration tried to reach some middle ground last winter, allowing these organizations to arrange for separate coverage through health plans that women would enroll in themselves. Under those revisions, the organizations must notify employees that they object to contraception coverage and provide information on how to get the separate coverage. Employers who self-insure must notify their third party administrator, who must inform enrollees of arrangements to provide no-cost contraceptive coverage.The final rule exempts churches from the requirement, but still applies to other faith-based organizations, including schools, hospitals, and other nonprofits.3Comments3emailprintDavid Pittman
open bio David Pittman is MedPage Today’s Washington Correspondent, following the intersection of policy and healthcare. He covers Congress, FDA, and other health agencies in Washington, as well as major healthcare events. David holds bachelors’ degrees in journalism and chemistry from the University of Georgia and previously worked at the Amarillo Globe-News in Texas, Chemical & Engineering News and most recently FDAnews.MOST READ IN Washington Watch1Will the GOP's ACA Attacks Hasten Single-Payer?7/16/2014| 112Specialty Care a Challenge in Some ACA Plans7/19/2014| 13Appeals Courts Rule Opposite Ways on ACA Subsidies7/22/2014| 24A Small Business Owner Wants to Buy Insurance7/17/2014| 05Proposal To Add ?Copper? Plans to Marketplace Raises Concerns7/2/2014| 0TOP CME IN Washington WatchCME 2 takenState Medicaid ACOs Up but Struggles Mount4/14/2014|4CME 1 takenHIV Drugs Getting Better7/5/2013|0CME 1 takenFDA to Ban E-Cigarette Sales to Minors4/24/2014|6CME 1 takenBig Changes to Heart Devices OK'd Without New Data1/22/2014|3CME 1 takenMCAT Changes Reflect More Holistic Approach4/25/2014|7falseResources from IndustrySponsored ResourcesADVERTISEMENTVideo LibraryCME SpotlightsMOST READ STORIES1CardioBuzz: Vegan Diet, Healthy Heart?7/21/2014| 382Prostate Cancer: Docs Drive Treatment ChoiceCME7/16/2014| 23HypeWatch: Do the Eyes Really Have it in Diabetes?7/21/2014| 04Now What? DEA Tosses Tramadol in Schedule IVCME7/10/2014| 245Hotter Weather Linked to Kidney Stones7/10/2014| 9ADVERTISEMENTCurrent Survey Past Surveys »Should Docs Push Vegan Diets?American College of Cardiology (ACC) president-elect Kim Williams, MD, says the ACC should try to "put itself out of business" by getting patients to switch to a vegan diet.Is there enough evidence to recommend that patients eat a vegan diet to prevent and reverse heart disease?YesNo
Total votes 1270 | 24 commentsThis survey is a poll of those who choose to participate and are, therefore, not valid statistical samples, but rather a snapshot of what your colleagues are thinking.
College Renews Fight over Birth Control Mandate
20140728102929700 1HomeNewsLATEST NEWSMorning Break: How One Doctor Got Rich, Myeloma QuizMOC Watch: Alternative Credit Pathways for FPsQuestioning Medicine: EHRs and Attention DeficitMedicare Pressed to Bargain on Drug CostsMORE IN NEWSAll NewsPolicy NewsPractice NewsSpecial ReportsEducationTOP CME/CEResuscitation in the ED: Beyond the ABCs Newman's Notes: Inside the Ondansetron Black Box Monitoring, Dose Adjustment for Pradaxa? Antiviral Group: 'Biomedical' Tx Could Slow HIVMORE IN EDUCATIONTop CME/CEState-RequiredClinical ContextTrackerConferencesLATEST MEETING COVERAGEThis Week: AIDS Progress, Vegan DietHIV Self-Testing Viable in Rural South AfricaVideo Games Help Teens Gain HIV SmartsReal-Life PrEP Works as HopedMORE IN CONFERENCEAll Conference CoverageConference A-ZOpinionIN OPINIONAnd Now a Word ...Building the Patient-Centered Medical HomeCelebrity DiagnosisConversations WithDr. WesFocus on PolicyFrom the EditorsGary SchwitzerIltifat HusainInOtherWordsIvan TodayKevin, M.D.Practice PointersPulmCCM CentralSHADOWFAXSpecial ReportsSurveysTim Johnson, MD: On HealthResourcesThis Week's SurveyShould Docs Push Vegan Diets?American College of Cardiology (ACC) president-elect Kim Williams, MD, says the ACC should try to "put itself out of business" by getting patients to switch to a vegan diet.Is there enough evidence to recommend that patients eat a vegan diet to prevent and reverse heart disease?CLINICAL DATABASESDrugsDiseasesProceduresClinical ChecklistsLabsMORE IN RESOURCESLung Cancer Therapy FinderMelanoma Therapy FinderPatient EducationGuide to BiostatisticsPutting Breaking Medical News Into PracticePlease enter a search termGet customized medical news and FREE CME!Select Your Specialty Select Specialties and Topics of Interest to Customize Your NewsAllergy & ImmunologyAnesthesiologyCardiovascularCritical CareDermatologyEmergency MedicineEndocrinologyGastroenterologyGeneticsGeriatricsHIV/AIDSHospital-Based MedicineInfectious DiseaseNephrologyNeurologyNursingOB/GynOncology/HematologyOphthalmologyOrthopedicsPain ManagementPathologyPediatricsPrimary CarePsychiatryPulmonologyRadiologyRheumatologySurgeryThe Gupta GuideTransplantationUrologyTOPICSBusinessPolicyLab NotesSpecial ReportsContinue to RegisterRegister for FREE customized news, conference, policy and practice coverage and CME tracking.
ADVERTISEMENTRegister TodayEarn Free CME Credits by reading the latest medical news in your specialty.Sign Up3emailprintWashington-WatchCollege Renews Fight over Birth Control MandatePublished: Aug 9, 2013By David Pittman
, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Todaysave|AAThe nonprofit Colorado Christian University (CCU) has again filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), trying to avoid an Affordable Care Act mandate to provide emergency contraceptives in its health plans.CCU asked the U.S. District Court in Colorado on Wednesday to declare an HHS rule requiring them to seek third-party coverage of certain contraceptives unconstitutional and to issue an injunction against its enforcement in the meantime.The school is the first nonprofit to challenge the rule, which became final in late June, according to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who is representing the university in the case. The arts-and-crafts retail giant Hobby Lobby and sister company Mardel, a Christian bookstore chain, won temporary relief last month from the ACA's contraception mandate.The school says the revisions in the rule before it was finalized still don't fully protect its religious objections to certain forms of contraception. The HHS rule allows employers with religious objections to arrange for separate contraceptive coverage through health plans that women employees would be able to enroll in at no cost."This would do nothing to resolve CCU's objections," the complaint read. "The 'accommodation' also creates administrative hurdles and other difficulties for CCU, forcing it to seek out and contract with companies willing to provide the very drugs and services it speaks out against."The school specifically cited objection to ulipristal (Ella)
, levonorgestrel (Plan B), and intrauterine devices."CCU cannot fulfill its mission of preparing students to impact the world by living their Christian values if it violates its own religious convictions by complying with the challenged regulations and facilitating access to abortion-causing drugs and devices and related counseling and services," the complaint read.Penalties for not complying with the law could exceed $12 million, the school said."No employer, particularly in this economy, should be forced to make the choice between violating their deeply held religious beliefs or paying a heavy fine and terminating their health insurance plans for employees and students," said Hannah Smith, senior legal counsel for the Becket Fund.The Lakewood, Colo., school enrolls more than 5,300 students and has 680 full- and part-time employees. CCU, which professes a "culture in support of ... sanctity of life," says it has no objections to certain contraceptives.Earlier this year, the same Colorado court dismissed CCU's challenge while waiting for the HHS rule to be finalized.The ACA's contraceptive mandate, which took effect on Aug. 1, 2012, says all new insurance policies must provide birth control with no copayment. That requirement was opposed by some faith-based employers who said it encroached on their religious freedom by forcing them to provide contraceptive coverage against their will.The Obama administration tried to reach some middle ground last winter, allowing these organizations to arrange for separate coverage through health plans that women would enroll in themselves. Under those revisions, the organizations must notify employees that they object to contraception coverage and provide information on how to get the separate coverage. Employers who self-insure must notify their third party administrator, who must inform enrollees of arrangements to provide no-cost contraceptive coverage.The final rule exempts churches from the requirement, but still applies to other faith-based organizations, including schools, hospitals, and other nonprofits.3Comments3emailprintDavid Pittman
open bio David Pittman is MedPage Today’s Washington Correspondent, following the intersection of policy and healthcare. He covers Congress, FDA, and other health agencies in Washington, as well as major healthcare events. David holds bachelors’ degrees in journalism and chemistry from the University of Georgia and previously worked at the Amarillo Globe-News in Texas, Chemical & Engineering News and most recently FDAnews.MOST READ IN Washington Watch1Will the GOP's ACA Attacks Hasten Single-Payer?7/16/2014| 112Specialty Care a Challenge in Some ACA Plans7/19/2014| 13Appeals Courts Rule Opposite Ways on ACA Subsidies7/22/2014| 24A Small Business Owner Wants to Buy Insurance7/17/2014| 05Proposal To Add ?Copper? Plans to Marketplace Raises Concerns7/2/2014| 0TOP CME IN Washington WatchCME 2 takenState Medicaid ACOs Up but Struggles Mount4/14/2014|4CME 1 takenHIV Drugs Getting Better7/5/2013|0CME 1 takenFDA to Ban E-Cigarette Sales to Minors4/24/2014|6CME 1 takenBig Changes to Heart Devices OK'd Without New Data1/22/2014|3CME 1 takenMCAT Changes Reflect More Holistic Approach4/25/2014|7falseResources from IndustrySponsored ResourcesADVERTISEMENTVideo LibraryCME SpotlightsMOST READ STORIES1CardioBuzz: Vegan Diet, Healthy Heart?7/21/2014| 382Prostate Cancer: Docs Drive Treatment ChoiceCME7/16/2014| 23HypeWatch: Do the Eyes Really Have it in Diabetes?7/21/2014| 04Now What? DEA Tosses Tramadol in Schedule IVCME7/10/2014| 245Hotter Weather Linked to Kidney Stones7/10/2014| 9ADVERTISEMENTCurrent Survey Past Surveys »Should Docs Push Vegan Diets?American College of Cardiology (ACC) president-elect Kim Williams, MD, says the ACC should try to "put itself out of business" by getting patients to switch to a vegan diet.Is there enough evidence to recommend that patients eat a vegan diet to prevent and reverse heart disease?YesNo
Total votes 1270 | 24 commentsThis survey is a poll of those who choose to participate and are, therefore, not valid statistical samples, but rather a snapshot of what your colleagues are thinking.