Geneva College, a Presbyterian school in Pennsylvania, has sued the government to be exempted from the ACA that requires them to pay for certain medicines and procedures the school finds morally objectionable. While this will result in a rather typical Freedom of Religion case, their suit gives insight into how laws are made and should remind us about the problems that have developed in running the democracy.
When the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) was passed it was, like most laws, empty of specifics. Requirements within the law were not voted upon; they were left open ended to be filled in later by bureaucrats. This is more than common; it is the rule. One task, to maintain "preventive care" was left to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who referred this blank slate to the Institute of Medicine (a non-elected group of experts which includes Leyland Hood) and Planned Parenthood (another non-elected group with many social interests.) “Preventive health measures” were included in the ACA to encourage prevention of diseases that result in poor health and increased costs but these groups of worthies suggested HHS include birth control and abortion under the law. Health and Human Services (HHS) agreed and this terrible problem was revisited upon the public without a vote, by fiat, effective August 1, 2012.
HHS is an agency with 11 Operating Divisions and 17 Staff Divisions, administers over 300 programs, has 67,450 employees, with an annual budget of 707.7 Billion dollars, and administers more grant dollars than all the other agencies combined. No one in this huge amorphous agency is known to be responsible for anything; since no one is responsible no one can be voted out. But, of course, they are appointed anyway.
And it is hard to change Anonymous' mind. And if you did, would it matter?
When the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) was passed it was, like most laws, empty of specifics. Requirements within the law were not voted upon; they were left open ended to be filled in later by bureaucrats. This is more than common; it is the rule. One task, to maintain "preventive care" was left to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who referred this blank slate to the Institute of Medicine (a non-elected group of experts which includes Leyland Hood) and Planned Parenthood (another non-elected group with many social interests.) “Preventive health measures” were included in the ACA to encourage prevention of diseases that result in poor health and increased costs but these groups of worthies suggested HHS include birth control and abortion under the law. Health and Human Services (HHS) agreed and this terrible problem was revisited upon the public without a vote, by fiat, effective August 1, 2012.
HHS is an agency with 11 Operating Divisions and 17 Staff Divisions, administers over 300 programs, has 67,450 employees, with an annual budget of 707.7 Billion dollars, and administers more grant dollars than all the other agencies combined. No one in this huge amorphous agency is known to be responsible for anything; since no one is responsible no one can be voted out. But, of course, they are appointed anyway.
And it is hard to change Anonymous' mind. And if you did, would it matter?
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