NEWS FLASH

Catholic colleges ask Obama administration for exemption from birth control requirement | In August the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ruled that health insurance plans must fully cover women’s preventative care, including birth control. The American Independent reports that eighteen Catholic colleges have asked the Obama administration to exempt them from the HHS decision, arguing that it shows a “startling and unprecedented” disrespect of Catholic institutions. But Catholic colleges already provide contraceptive coverage for their employees. The HHS rule, part of the Affordable Care Act, simply requires that they offer this coverage without co-payments or deductibles.

– Karl Singer