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Students become victims when a Catholic university in Ohio ends a health insurance program over the Obama administration's contraception mandate and c...
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-- student health care fallen victim to Obama care well a Catholic universe in Ohio says yes.
You ever see is dropping students from its health care program and blames Obama care.
Advancement at Franciscan university he joins spitting in -- Good evening Greta it's great to be with you it's nice to have -- so you are eliminating health care for students.
Why.
Yet it is it is actually very troubling decision that we had to come to Francis university is a very passionate about our Catholic identity.
And as soon as the Obama care.
HHS mandate came out this past summer saying we had to cover.
Things like drug inducing terror -- using drugs and contraceptives we knew we're gonna have some problems and we could not comply with that law.
But then just recently we found out from our health care provider for our students.
That the cost would be doubled to our students and we find both the moral and the economic to be completely compatible.
With what we're trying to do at at Catholic university.
With the crest of the Catholic identity intensity of it so why is set not a reason for you to likewise.
Take the employees off the Payer off the health care right.
-- only students but for that portion of your.
Your motivation.
-- well we're we're gonna be fighting as we started to back in the summer -- early fall fighting for our religious liberty and we'll continue to do so.
For employees the the direct impact economically doesn't hit us as of today.
But it does impact our students we require students to have this and we think it's a very reasonable thing to offer affordable basic health care for our students.
But now it's both the moral and the economic that's hitting us today.
We probably have another year that we are still hoping to -- to battle and win on religious liberty but the economic issue hits the student planned today.
Out what -- reaction -- the student body an apparent.
Yet we we sent this out and actually mid April to the parents and students and every response that we've gotten this positive since this story broke in the last 24 hours.
I've gotten a lot of alumni and even benefactors of the university saying way to go Francis is have courage stand up for your principles.
And so it is so far -- there's funny people who were.
Concerns saying how what are what are gonna happen to these students and we're concerned as well.
We have a health clinic.
But this is Davis to stand up for the prince -- and -- -- Rogge pres bush I would think would go to the Catholic identity issue and and the -- drugs and contraception.
But you're not doing that as to the employees.
-- season be it an economic argument for the students.
At least more certainly -- trumps it in the short -- that that's -- the more awaited decision.
It's it's the trigger that forced it probably that was just the economic alone.
It might not do it but we know if something doesn't change between now and then.
For our student health coverage plan we would not be able to comply in the near future based on Obama cares HHS mandate.
And so when you combine them both together it really changes the the entire conversation forest.
And our students had been out there in front.
Really saying we cannot comply our president said you know.
This is something we will not -- die on this -- we cannot let religious liberty stop us what's the cost difference and -- figured it.
Yes it was -- our student -- talking about 600 dollars for their health plan and it's -- good about thirteen hundred dollars in the first year.
But then they say it could be upwards of three times as much in the second year and they can't even estimate what that the third year would be.
And any idea what that cost is the university pick up some of that cost of a companion cost letters is solely the 600 -- thirteen hour.
Is that that completely that's a complete cost -- a student bears at.
That's that the student bears and in these tough economic times you know we're not compelled by any law to offer this we just thought it was a good in an advisable thing.
-- they have there they're covered by their parents plan or the they pick up this extra plan.
Does this cost you all -- -- -- the students are picking up the 600 to go to the thirteen hundred.
Does it cost university any money at all to have this -- them.
It's it's a 100% what we see as as a burden on the students directly and what we have done like many college we actually required health care coverage so we've done is said.
We're no longer requiring you to cut have health coverage to come to Franciscan university.
So that's where the difference is you're not require and -- just about before they had -- -- said that's what I understand it if it.
Michael thank you know it's like I'm -- don't know -- I just think that you know we we've now heard that there's another university considering this is a major issue and you know our First Amendment freedoms.
Affects not just Catholics but really all Americans.
And this is something that I really think we need to continue to.
To to battle with today we can't just -- this kind of go down.
And not be really aggressive and really out there and letting our voices be heard -- Really appreciate the time on the show today but this is an issue that's bigger than just Catholics quite -- thank you.
