February 6, 2013

Last Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced narrow exceptions to its mandate that employer-provided insurance cover contraceptives, abortofacient drugs and sterilization for all employees.

These new “accommodations” exempt houses of worship from the anti-conscience mandate. Unfortunately, as The Heritage Foundation’s Sarah Torre explains, other employers remain affected, regardless of the religious conviction of their owners:

The latest proposal fails to protect businesses such as Tyndale House, the nation’s largest Bible publisher; or Hercules Industries, a family-owned and operated HVAC company; or Hobby Lobby, an arts and crafts retailer—all of which seek to operate according to deeply held religious and moral beliefs.

Instead of “accommodating” these religious Americans, the Obama administration’s mandate punishes the non-compliant with outrageous fines. Torre summarizes the administration’s position:

[T]he Administration is clear: Get over your deeply held beliefs and get in line with the HHS mandate. The alternative is devastating fines to the tune of up to $100 per day per employee for offering non-compliant health plans.

How much is too much when it comes to the government bureaucracies carving out politically-expedient exceptions to onerous, arbitrary rules?

Do you think the “accommodations” were enough, or is religious liberty still being harmed?