ABORTION/COURTS/HHS/OBAMACARE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “HHS on Wednesday [11-7-18] rolled out two regulations, one final and one proposed, that would further restrict access to reproductive health care procedures. — The move that was expected: HHS finalized a rule that would allow nearly any employer to claim a moral or religious exemption to Obamacare’s birth control mandate. The rule dramatically expands the loophole currently on the books, although it’s not yet clear how many companies are planning to use it and drop contraceptive coverage for their employees. An earlier version has been blocked by federal courts. More for Pros. — The move that came as a surprise: The Trump administration proposed changes to billing requirements in the ACA exchanges that are intended to ensure that federal dollars aren’t paying for abortions. (The proposal came as part of a broader package to tighten ACA exchange regulations; more on that below.) Specifically, CMS is proposing that insurers who cover the procedure be required to send a separate monthly bill to customers for the amount of their premium attributable to abortion services.”
–Dan Diamond, “Trump’s latest move to crack down on abortion,” Politico, November 8, 2018 10:00 am