The Michigan House of Rep. has passed a bill that may set a serious presedent.
it is now awating action in the MI. senate.
Are you ready to have your health insurance dropped due to your "morals" ?

Kate Alice



http://zzz.pridesource.com/article.shtml?article=18562

QuoteFaith-based health insurance?
House-passed bills could limit coverage for AIDS patients, LGBTs, women
By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman
Originally printed 5/4/2006 (Issue 1418 - Between The Lines News)

LANSING - On April 26, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed two bills which, if signed into law, could have far-reaching implications for the health of AIDS patients, LGBTs, and women.

House Bills 4745 and 4746 "would allow commercial health insurance companies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan to refuse to offer or provide a health care benefit on ethical, moral, or religious grounds as reflected in their articles of incorporation or bylaws or by an adopted mission statement," according to the legislative summary of the bills.

In other words, a health insurance company could decide, based on its "morals," not to provide coverage for such medical conditions as AIDS, hormonal or other treatments required by transgender individuals, contraceptives, or other treatments.

the catholic church  likes  the bills
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=64670


For contact information for your MI. state Senator, call the Michigan State House Clerk's office at 517-373-0135 or visit http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp.

I have my flamethrower armed and on standby. Legislators trying to enact such hateful legislation should not be surprised if the reaction to this turns ugly. 

Michigan House

BTW, I found when it comes to the trans issue you cannot trust one side or the other.  Just my personal experience, YMMV.

erm that is a scary lookin' bunch over there in MICHIGAN.

Is an ice-cream bath anything like tar-and-feathers?
Caramel?

They may be religious, but they sure aren't Christian.  No concept of what morality really means. 

Anyone remember the Pharisees?

What a great sucker play!!! get 'em signed up, collect the premium, then 'discover' they're an undesirable.  Boot 'em out, and keep the premium money!

What ARE the actual actuarial tables for the G, L, B, T and I demographics?  Do they really cost more money than other demographics?

<fume, sputter...>

Karen

the newswire link has this action characterized as "conscience clause bills": that is quite a perversion of language if you ask me.
Pharissean to-the-max.

Quote from: reikirobyn on May 06, 2006, 07:29:25 AM
They may be religious, but they sure aren't Christian.  No concept of what morality really means. 

Anyone remember the Pharisees?

Absolutely!

Chaunte

The usnewswire.com article said, " .  .   .  a civil right of conscience for faith based benefit providers from being forced to offer or provide non-emergency benefits that specifically violate a religious tenet of the faith-based organization." (emphasis added)

The Pride_Source article said, "House Bills 4745 and 4746 "would allow commercial health insurance companies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan to refuse to offer or provide a health care benefit on ethical, moral, or religious grounds as reflected in their articles of incorporation or bylaws or by an adopted mission statement," according to the legislative summary of the bills."  (emphasis added)

Well, which is it?  Is the usnewswire.com site supporting the bill by tweaking the semantics to make it seem more reasonable?  I really wonder.  Who wrote the "legislative summary?"  It's implied that an arm of the legislature did, but it's not really stated.  What's REALLY going on?

Of course, how can a commercial insurance corporation, or any other commercial corporation, be said to have morals?  Naturally, if it increases profits they will adapt the "correct morals" as soon as possible, no matter who it hurts as long as it's legal.  I think that this is the real aim of the legislation.  Once again the self-righteousness of the right wing religionists manifests itself through their willingness to promote the politics of exclusion, but I also ask, what about the press?

helen

I certainly felt the whole tone of the 'news report' indicated (without being too in yer face about it) support of the concept. I even wondered whether 'of conscience' was their term, as I saw it nowhere else.
I would REALLY like a concrete example of an offered benefit that 'specifically violates a religious tenet'; now I am not doubting that someone concerned could come up with one, but I do think that would be revealing.
You are right, the legality or not is the entire point, it's called legislation. "legislative summary' is hella suspect too, now thatcha mention it.
As for 'the press', I never actually heard of 'usnewswire.com' before this.

Are you all SURE this is even real?? Or is this a hoax site or something?

Just finding it hard to believe.  Never heard of this site before either.

Peace,

Taylor

                  This movement was started by the catholic church in new york because they had catholic hospitals that were ruled by the courts to have to provide abortion and contraceptive services that they did not want to provide. It was never meant to change blue cross or hmo's but i guess it could have that effect if the hmos etc wanted it to. the article is written in a way to make the reader think changing hmos etc was the purpose of the legislation when it wasn't, although it is very dangerous.


beth

This country really needs to wake up. This is just down right scary.

Thanks for the info Beth!

Peace,
Taylor