Under the pressure of public scrutiny, Notre Dame has backed off facilitating surgical abortion though its employee FSA. But so far they have held their ground with cut-rate sterilization, abortifacients, contraceptives.
NOTRE DAME, IN — In the wake of our bulletin of yesterday disclosing that the university has made expenses for abortion, sterilization, abortifacients, and contraceptives reimbursable to employees under the university’s Flexible Spending Account (FSA) plan, the university has hastily reversed itself respecting abortions – but not sterilization, abortifacients, contraceptives, or sex change surgery, for that matter.
The university sent this notice to employees yesterday:
[box]Update: Coverage Clarification & New FSA (Flexible Spending Account) maximum Qualified health expenses for FSA medical accounts are medical and dental expenses as outlined in IRS Publication 502, except for abortion services.[/box]
[twitter url=”https://wp.me/p9235P-2bY” style=”horizontal” text=”In the wake caused by @sycamoretrust’s last bulletin #NotreDame has decided to back off its plan to facilitate surgical abortion through its employee FSA #GoCatholicND https://wp.me/p9235P-2bY” size=”large” float=”left”] The spotlight of publicity worked this time, partly, anyway. The iniquitous expansion of FSA coverage was a deliberate decision that, given its radioactivity, was presumably made at a high level. In any case, it reached that level on November 6, when Bill Dempsey emailed the university’s general counsel and an assistant vice president about the matter.
He received no reply, no expression of appreciation for bringing the matter to their attention, no pledge to take action. Only after our bulletin began drawing intense interest on and off campus and triggering press inquiries was there what looks a lot like damage control scrambling.
It is sobering to consider that Notre Dame would be involved in facilitating surgical abortions had its change in policy not been exposed; and even after deliberation it has continued its offer of cut-rate sterilization, abortifacients, and contraceptives through its FSA. Include sex change surgery in that list, since expenses for such surgery is tax deductible and the IRS bulletin that now governs Notre Dame’s FSA covers all deductible medical expenses.
While of course the partial reversal is welcome, this remains another episode bewildering in its ham-handed management and, in combination with the university’s sanctioning the free provision of abortifacients and contraceptives to students and employees, deeply depressing for the indifference it shows to the sacredness of human life and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Leave a Reply
[highlight]Let us know what you think about the issues we’ve raised in this bulletin in the “Leave a Reply” section below.[/highlight]
Every Penny Helps!
If like us, you want to see an authentic Catholic renewal at Notre Dame, please take a minute to review our 2016 Annual Report and consider making a year-end donation to Sycamore Trust.
[button link=”https://staging.sycamoretrust.org/annual-report-request-2016/” color=”red”]Annual Report & Request[/button]
