Supreme Court

[ktheodos]

Thoughts on them taking on the religious exemption debate re: Obama Care?

[Falconer02]

Can you elaborate? Sources?

[lvstephanie]

Can you elaborate? Sources?

I believe that Ktheodos was referring to the contraceptive mandate in the ACA, and whether for-profit companies would have to cover that even if the company is against this on moral grounds (see http://www.npr.org/2013/11/26/247392814/supreme-court-will-take-up-contraceptions-case).

I think this is just one more example of how the ACA is just poor policy to begin with. By having the government force people to purchase health insurance (esp. when also describing what health insurance policies are deemed acceptable), we have taken the power out of the hands of the consumer and have given it to the government. In the past, if a consumer (be it an individual person or a company paying for their employees' insurance) felt that certain procedures are immoral (eg contraception, abortion, drug & alcohol abuse treatment (the treatment itself not being questioned as immoral but rather the abuse itself), procedures involving embryonic stem cells, etc.), that consumer could shop around for a plan that is more suitable for their particular code of ethics. However with the ACA mandating that insurance companies cover these costs, the consumer has now lost that freedom to purchase the plan that they want. I feel that the ACA should have just mandated major medical expenses, if anything, and allow the consumer to purchase auxiliary policies for things they also want covered, like the items mentioned above.

[madeara]

I am happy the Supreme Court is taking on the religious exemption.  The court ensures that there are checks and balances as there should be.  The court also ensures that those whom we elect don't act beyond the boundaries of their authority, as specified in the Constitution.

[kapeh12]

Actually, that is a very good point.  I didn't even think about the impact of ACA on groups like Christain Scientists.  What would a Christian Scientist need health insurance for?  Those who are devout practitioners won't go to doctors, so why carry health insurance?  They are now being forced to pay a tax on a consumer item they see no need for based on their beliefs.  Not sure what other religions may fall under this category as well.

[moonangel]

just another way of them micromanaging us  we don't not need everything mapped out for us  every one wants things done their way and have to go to our officials  and get them to make all these laws everybody does not need to do everything the same way  don't know if this is true or not but I heard that one city (ithink) is not going to allow smoking if you share housing such as apartments and duplexes ect