If You Keep Spinning This Much You Might Cause an Earthquake

As promised, the latest in the San Francisco University (What, me Catholic?) abortion coverage in its insurance fiasco.

I came across this story on Jeff Miller's blog The Curt Jester. In the post he had a part of a post from the Our Sunday Visitor blog (OSV Daily Take). Here is the entire post with my take in blue:

USF: 'We're working on removing abortion from employee plan'

As a follow-up to Jesuit-run University of San Francisco's announced jettisoning of abortion coverage in its health plan for students, OSV contributing editor Valerie Schmalz pressed the university on several other outstanding issues, including referral of USF students to Planned Parenthood and continuing coverage of abortion and contraception for USF employees.

Tonight, we received these replies from Gary McDonald, assistant vice president of communications and public affairs. (For those of you who don't know, this is the PR department. Part of their job is to spin events. & here we have the head honcho, top dog at doing so.) Please bear with a little repetitiveness in the questions and answers: (Thanks for warning us. But if he had been honest in the 1st place, there would have been no need for you to have to repeat the questions.)

Our Sunday Visitor: In a conversation with an official at St. Mary's Medical Center, the official said the student health clinic refers students for abortion and contraception to Planned Parenthood and to Aetna providers. Can you clarify if that is USF policy? (OSV goes right to the heartof the matter.)

Gary McDonald: (Let the spin begin!) In light of recent inquiries, we are now aware that our protocol (for covering up) needs improvement. (Notice that he avoids a direct answer to the question.) We are taking immediate steps to remedy this, and are in the process of developing a protocol to ensure that counseling and pro-life options are always provided at the USF clinic. (The clinic is at a Catholic hospital, shouldn't that already be a given?)

OSV: In addition, the hospital-based USF Student Health Clinic refers students to Planned Parenthood or Aetna Insurance providers for abortion and contraception, an official who oversees the student health clinic told Our Sunday Visitor. (Since you didn't answer the 1st time, I'll try again.)

McDonald: USF is removing the provision for voluntary termination of pregnancy from our student health plan. Students are not referred to Planned Parenthood, but are referred to Aetna providers for prescriptions. Under California law, prescription plans must pay for all FDA approved medications, including contraception. (Notice how he again sidesteps the question. I am not certain, but I suspect 1 of those Aetna providers may very well be Planned Parenthood. Anyone out there know if it is? & keep the bit about CA law in mind. We'll get back to that later.)

OSV: Signing up for health insurance is mandatory for undergraduates at USF unless they have a waiver that proves they have other health insurance, and the Aetna policy detailed on the college website specifically mentions abortion. The students get most of their health care from a special clinic for students at St. Mary's Medical Center, which is across the street from the university. An official at the hospital said that St. Mary's does not do abortions but refers students who request abortion or contraception either to Planned Parenthood or to Aetna providers. (Bravo to OSV for not letting him off the hook about the abortion referals. But will the 3rd time be the charm?)

McDonald: Yes, having health care insurance is mandatory for every USF student to ensure their best interests in case of a medical emergency or illness. (Spin. It sounds to me like he is saying there are no low or reduced cost options available to the students that are just as good as that offered at St. Mary's. In a city Like Frisco there has to be. Of course, this could also be a ploy. By implying that the options I mentioned aren't as good, he could also be helping set up the justification for socialized medicine.) Students can provide their own insurance, (often [The last I looked, usually rather than merely often.] they are covered under their parent's insurance), or enroll in the university-sponsored plan. As stated on Dec. 12, it was not the university's intention to offer (read "get caught offering") coverage for the voluntary termination of pregnancy, and we are removing this provision from our student health plan. We regret this mistake (getting caught), and we take full responsibility for not adequately reviewing the contract (to be sure that the truth about our covering abortion wasn't obfuscated good enough). We are grateful to those who brought this issue to our attention. (About as grateful as the Mafia is when 1 of their members sings to the cops. The only difference, SFU can't put out a hit. Can it?) ... (Getting caught offering) Coverage for the voluntary termination of pregnancy in the student health plan was a mistake, and (is the only reason) that provision is being removed. However, health insurance is still mandatory for all USF students. Prescriptions for contraception are never provided at the USF Clinic, (OSV never accused them of doing so. Get ready for the obfuscation.) nor are referrals to Planned Parenthood for abortions. (So, is he calling St. Mary’s senior director Les McGee a liar, since Mr. McGee says that they do. Actually, I suspect he hopes we will see that he told the truth about the SFU Clinic & think he must be doing the same about the referals. Spin, spin, spin!) However, under state law, all California prescription plans must cover prescriptions for contraception. (I love how he keeps repeating this. As I said, I don't hold out much hope about most Catholic Hospitals staying Catholic if FOCA passes. They can't stand up to a law like this, why would they stand up to FOCA?)

OSV: Ongoing USF employee insurance coverage of abortion and contraception was not addressed in the statement. While the policy adding abortion was new for the 2008-2009 academic year, the college was providing RU-486 chemical abortion coverage as early as 2005, according to documents available on the college website. (Notice, he never answers this question about RU-486.) The university also offers insurance which includes abortion and contraception to its employees; will that insurance continue? (CAUTION: Fasten your seatbelts, its going to be a bumpy ride!)

McDonald: USF offers two options for employee health insurance, Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente. Our Blue Cross claims procedure excludes coverage for surgical abortion. (How did that happen?) When USF negotiated its contract with Kaiser, we were unable to opt out of the plan's provision for termination of pregnancy. (So why did you decide to still offer it?) (COP OUT AHEAD ALERT) USF decided to offer the Kaiser plan because Kaiser is widely considered to be the highest-quality HMO in Northern California. (More spin. I guess highest quality trumps Catholic teaching?) It is USF's strong desire to offer its employees the best health care possible. (Gee, doesn't PP claim that allowing women to have abortion is a part of what it says is the best women's health care possible?) USF is in the process of working with Kaiser to see if the contract can be renegotiated and the provision eliminated. (But only because you got caught. & I suspect you won't try too hard or look elsewhere if you can't.)

OK, I hope you aren't too dizzy after all that spin.

1 last thing. Jeff concluded his post with: "Kind of creeps me out that they keep saying "voluntary termination of pregnancy" instead of abortion." Jeff, I think you mean McDonald since OSV seems to always say abortion, but I have to completely agree. It is creepy. However, I think that by the way he says it, he gives us insight into the mindset at USF. & it isn't pretty.