Politics
Thursday December 11, 2008
Jesuit University of San Francisco Requires Abortion Coverage for Students
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By Kathleen Gilbert
SAN FRANCISCO, December 11, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Starting next fall, students at the Jesuit-run University of San Francisco (USF) who depend on the school-sponsored health insurance will be required to pay into a plan that includes coverage for abortion.
The health insurance brochure, which says the Aetna plan was "developed especially for eligible University of San Francisco students and their eligible dependents," shows abortion as one procedure covered under the heading "Maternity Expenses."
(To see the USF health insurance brochure, go to: http://www.usfca.edu/hps/studentinsurance/U%20San%20Francisco%20Brochure%200809....)
Students can opt-out of the USF plan only by proving "that they have coverage comparable (equal or better) to the University-sponsored plan," otherwise they "automatically will be enrolled in, and have their accounts billed for, the University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan."
The Catholic Key, the newspaper of the diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph, first reported this story on its Internet blog (http://catholickey.blogspot.com/). The blog notes that California law does not require USF to provide coverage for abortion, and other Catholic institutions that offer health insurance coverage in the same diocese do not provide for abortions.
"Unless USF's website is grossly incorrect, it would seem that the institution 'Educating Minds and Hearts to Change the World' forces those minds and hearts to fund 'an unspeakable crime,'" says the Key blogger.
Requests for comment from USF were not answered by press time.
The Cardinal Newman Society, which works to promote the renewal of Catholic higher education, immediately called on USF president Father Stephen Privett to take action to remove the abortion coverage.
"Given the importance of life issues for Catholics, it is stunning that USF's student health program would pay for abortions," said Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society.
"I pray that this was a mistake and not a willful action of the Catholic university, but regardless of how the abortion coverage ended up in the policy, it clearly cannot remain."
To contact USF President Fr. Stephen Privett:
Office of the President
LMR 415
2130 Fulton St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
phone: 415 422-6762
e-mail:
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