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Catholic groups rally against birth control coverage

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas
Published May 22, 2012 at 6:43 AM EDT

Several New York-based Catholic organizations are joining a nationwide court challenge to a government mandate requiring most employers to provide birth control coverage as part of their employee health plans. WAMC’s Dave Lucas reports.

The Archdiocese of New York and the suburban Diocese of Rockville Centre filed suit Monday in federal court in Brooklyn. The plaintiffs also include Catholic Health Services of Long Island, Catholic Charities of Rockville Centre and ArchCare, a Catholic health care service.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan says the lawsuit was filed after negotiations to overturn the mandate failed.

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department adopted the rule last year. An advisory panel from the Institute of Medicine says coverage for birth control would promote maternal and child health.

Catholic groups and others argue the mandate violates religious freedom.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Hudson Valley News
Dave Lucas
Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
See stories by Dave Lucas
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