Hobby Lobby business practices

[venture]

I don't know if you're catholic but I've taken catholic teaching (didn't convert) and this particular subject was addressed because a lot of people had heard that. It simply isn't true. Moreover, I have many practicing Catholic friends and relatives who have been prescribed birth control pills to control bleeding and/or problems with menstruation with the full knowledge and approval of their priests. That medication primarily used for birth control can't be prescribed or used for other medical conditions is just a myth that keeps being repeated. All you need to do is google it.

I am. I to have many family and friends that have had to get prescribed birth control for reasons other than what its name implies. However, I don't really know any that ran to their priest for approval...I guess it depends how they feel morally on it. The part I was getting to was if these Catholic organizations aren't going to pay for birth control, are they blocking paying for it completely or will they have exceptions internally if the doctor prescribes it for something other than birth control.

[PennyQuilts]

I am. I to have many family and friends that have had to get prescribed birth control for reasons other than what its name implies. However, I don't really know any that ran to their priest for approval...I guess it depends how they feel morally on it. The part I was getting to was if these Catholic organizations aren't going to pay for birth control, are they blocking paying for it completely or will they have exceptions internally if the doctor prescribes it for something other than birth control.

I wouldn't think you'd need an exception - you don't need one, now. The church is far more offended at being forced to pay for contraceptives, per se, than they are for drugs/procedures that can merely be used as contraceptives if you wish As a Catholic, you know that intent is a big deal with the faith. There are some church doctrines about whether they need to abstain while a birth control mechanism is use but that is a completely separate question from using drugs/procedures that also impact contraception. And the fact that they require abstaining while using certain medications just proves the point that they allow medication and procedures for non contraception reasons.

Things like D&C's are common for other uses other than abortions - same with birth control pills to correct irregular periods - and there isn't a problem with paying for these if that is what they are supposed to be used for. They don't spend their time and energy pouring over common medical procedures or medications prescribed to treat common conditions (and the purpose/reason is included in the billing) looking for sin. Are there doctors that prescribe such things for birth control and claim it is for irregular periods? Of course. But all that means is that church law allows for such things, already, and the parishioner is doing the time honored run around. I imagine that if there was a widespread problem of a Catholics needing to go to their priest to get permission for a D&C or birth control pills we'd have all heard horror stories from our catholic friends who get insurance through the church - but we haven't.