Cardinal Dolan: Latest HHS Rule Being Studied, Time Extension Appreciated

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services' 110-page ruling on itshealth care mandate requires time foranalysis, said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S.Conference of Catholic Bishops. Cardinal Dolan also expressed gratitude for the five-month extension on implementingthe complex proposal.

HHSissued the ruling June 28. The effective date of the rule had been set forAugust 1, 2013, but today's decision moves the date to January 1, 2014 for somenonprofit entities.

"Wehave received and started to review the 110-page final rule on the HHSmandate," Cardinal Dolan said.

"We appreciate the extension of theeffective date by five months, which is readily apparent in the rule," he said."The remainder of the rule is long and complex. It will require more carefulanalysis.We will provide a fullerstatement when that analysis is complete."

The HHS mandate requires that almostall employers, even those with moral objections to contraception, abortion andsterilization, provide employees contraceptives, including those that cause abortion,and sterilization, free of charge as part of services for women under the newhealth care law.

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Keywords: Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Health and Human Services,HHS, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, bishops

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