Catholic diocese files complaint against Obama administration's transgender health care regulation

An organization of 60 Catholic archdioceses and dioceses has filed a lawsuit against the new Obamacare ruling that will require religious healthcare providers to offer gender transition procedures and abortion services.

The regulation in question comes from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It implements Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which mandates against discrimination based sex, age, disability, race, color, or national origin while citing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. The HHS ruling requires hospitals and health care providers to provide transgender services such as hormonal treatments, counseling, and surgeries that would remove or transform sexual organs of patients seeking gender reassignment, and for group health plans to cover such procedures and services.

The HHS regulation, which was set to take effect starting Jan. 1, does not include religious exemption, which means that Catholic healthcare institutions and professionals, medical practitioners, and employers will have to provide or cover the abovementioned procedures even if such are against the teachings of the Catholic faith.

The complaint was filed in the United States District Court of North Dakota on Wednesday by the Diocese of Fargo, Catholic Charities of North Dakota, and the Catholic Benefits Association, which represents over 880 Catholic employers, 5,000 parishes, and 90,000 employees, according to The Christian Post.

Catholic Benefits Association chairman Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore said in a statement, as reported by Catholic News Service, "For decades, Congress and the courts have understood the term 'sex' in federal law to mean biological sex — male and female." He added, "By redefining 'sex' to mean both 'gender identity' and 'termination of pregnancy,' the Obama administration is not only trying to sidestep Congress and impose radical new health care mandates on hospitals and employers, it is creating a moral problem for Catholic employers that must be addressed."

According to Bishop John T. Folda of Fargo, they do not discriminate based on a person's orientation, but their hands are tied when it comes to paying for or performing procedures that go against the Catholic faith. In a statement released by the Catholic Benefits Association, he said, "We ask only for the freedom to serve consistent with our conscience and our Catholic faith."