Cal Catholic received a copy of the following letter from one of our readers.
From: The Office of the President
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 4:19 PM
To: University Communications
Subject: Health Benefits Coverage Update
Message from the President
August 15, 2013
Dear Faculty and Staff:
We are writing to inform you of a change in LMU’s health benefits coverage regarding elective abortions and to correct some misrepresentations that have been reported about how this change occurred.
Dating back to at least 1988 and the Presidency of Fr. James Loughran, S.J., the question of insurance coverage for elective abortions has been an ongoing concern at LMU. Consistent with our mission as a Catholic university, we have inquired on several occasions since then about our ability to exclude such coverage from our group health plans. Until very recently, each time we inquired about the ability to exclude this coverage, we were informed by our healthcare consultants and carriers that we could not exclude this coverage from our health plans. Last fall, we again inquired and received a similar negative response from our consultants about both of our health care plans – Anthem and Kaiser. The reason given was that both insurers were restricted from doing so based upon their approved fully insured contracts on file with the California Department of Insurance and the Department of Managed Care. Very recently, however, we were notified that the information we had received in response to our fall 2012 inquiry was inaccurate. In fact, without informing either our healthcare consultant or the University, Anthem had already removed this specific coverage from its LMU plan effective January 1, 2013. Further, Kaiser has now agreed to exclude this coverage from our Kaiser plan effective January 1, 2014.
The only benefit change in question is to exclude elective abortions from our health plans. All other procedures and services including those related to women’s reproductive health remain in full force and effect.
The decision to exclude this coverage, once it became possible, flows directly from our values as a Catholic university in the Jesuit/Marymount traditions. This change will be thoroughly discussed by the entire Board of Trustees at the October Board Meeting. Prior to that meeting, there will be a process established by which any of you who wish will have the opportunity to comment on this change in writing, so that the Board can consider your written comments before it entertains a motion to ratify this change.
Please know that we remain deeply committed to providing the best possible employee health benefits, while respecting the diversity of our campus and our Catholic and Jesuit/Marymount traditions.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Hannon Aikenhead
Chair, Board of Trustees
David W. Burcham
President
Oh, how delicately civilized of LMU admin to “request” a change in coverage!!! Twentyfive years of requesting a change … Are these people advertising some sort of intellectual education at the college level? It is hard to imagine anyone being so danged stupid and naiive!!! What an embarrassment even to read such frail anti-faith, anti-Church, anti-God “requesting” explanations. I would feel mortified as a human being to ride in the same elevator with such horrible excuses for academic administrators. LMU seems like an acronym for WIMP.
Thou shalt not kill. LMU should be reminded it is one of God’s ten requests.
Seiber,
Request, NO, Commandment, YES!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Where is Viola?
The paying customer can and should tailor their own health care plans to meet their needs, and moral requirements.
If an insurance company tells you “no”, get a good attorney.
(These college administrators don’t sound too bright.)
Why is Loyola Marmount still allowed to call themselves “Catholic”? Who has the authority to stop them?
John Feeney,
Ask Archbishop Gomez that question!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
The Bishop of the Diocese in which each Catholic college and university is located has the authority to stop any of them from calling themselves “Catholic”.
“Can. 808 Even if it is in fact Catholic, no university is to bear the title or name of Catholic university without the consent of competent ecclesiastical authority.”
https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2O.HTM
But it is the responsibility of each of us to report abuses to the Diocese Bishop if the Board of Trustees does not correct them.
“The only benefit change in question is to exclude elective abortions from our health plans. All other procedures and services including those related to women’s reproductive health remain in full force and effect.”
So does this mean contraceptives, abortifacients, and sterilization ARE covered?
Good question, tom.
Each Diocese Bishop should be asked that question.
The Diocese Bishop is in charge of everything ‘Catholic’ within his Diocese.
Pathetic bunch of weasels!
“Last fall, we again inquired and received a similar negative response from our consultants about both of our health care plans – Anthem and Kaiser. ” And there’s a law there too? (I forgot, they’re pro-abortion and pro-LBGT – never mind, it’s also one of those Jesuit schools that the archbishop can’t control.)
That proves it, obviously Loyola Marymount University is still a great university in the JESUIT tradition, thank God! A.M.D.G.
I didn’t know that abortion, contraceptives, abortificants and sterilization were part of the Jesuit tradition. If so, what other sins do the Jesuits advocate?
If I understand this letter correctly, the message is that health insurance purchasers have, since at least 1988, been forced to take the coverage (and pay for the coverage) that the insurer demands one have – not what the insured wants to have as coverage?
A college would not have had the influence to structure the best and most life-protective coverage they could negotiate?
Notice the key word “ELECTIVE” abortions….also, all women’s procedures and services to reproductive health will continue…BIRTH CONTROL…..
So, there was some question about Abortion coverage? What questions can there be with regard to Catholics and murdering the unborn in the womb?
Kaiser is so Progressive that they even have a ‘Womyn’s Health’ Department / system, including the standard ‘therapy’ of baby elimination…
None for Men of course, unless He wants to amputate his genitals and mince around in drag (or is a Womyn in to Steroid Abuse), in which case they have promoted several of the same to high position (and salary) –
Where they can even Make Doctors who Know Better, pretend they ‘changed’ their Immutable Inherited Genetically Proven Gender – and soil themselves and the system with such hateful Misandrist lies.
The proof of the pudding is can a woman who has had her busts removed and a fake penis operation impregnate another feminist? The answer is NO!
Can a man who has had his penis removed and taken steroids to produce abnormal male busts, get pregnant? The answer again is NO!
Can such persons have any hope of eternal life? Unless they repent, the answer is NO!
Anymore questions?
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Another valid question for Bishop Vann is, can such a person validly receive the Sacrament of Confirmation? Bear in mind that recently happened in the Diocese of Orange, CA.
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher