Proposed legislation would mandate contraceptive coverage in Michigan

Published: 2005-07-20

DETROIT (CNS) -- Even health care policies for priests and other Catholic Church employees in Michigan would have to include contraceptive coverage if two bills endorsed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm become law. The Michigan Catholic Conference voiced strong opposition July 7 to Granholm's support for the measures, which would force all health insurance prescription drug coverage plans offered in the state to include coverage for contraceptives. The bills, sponsored by state Sens. Beverly Hammerstrom, a Republican, and Martha Scott, a Democrat, allow for no exceptions. "This would disable the Catholic Church and all faithful Catholics from exercising our religious freedom rights. We would be forced to either compromise our conscience and provide and pay for something that specifically violates our faith in order to have prescription drug coverage, or we would have to choose to go without any prescription drug coverage," said Kristen Cella, an associate for public policy at the conference. The Lansing-based Catholic conference is the public policy voice of all seven Michigan dioceses, and it also oversees the health care and other benefit plans for church employees in the state.

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