Poll: Most say employers should be allowed not to cover contraception

CBS News

(CBS News) A new CBS News/New York Times poll shows that most Americans believe there should be an exception for employers who may have a moral or religious objection to covering birth control for their employees.

According to the poll, which surveyed more than 1,000 adults nationwide from March 7-11, 51 percent of Americans believe employers of any kind should be allowed to opt out of covering birth control for religious or moral reasons. Forty percent say all employers should have to cover contraceptive care.

As part of the new health care law, the Obama administration is mandating that all employers cover contraception as part of their health insurance coverage, though religious institutions are exempted. Religiously-affiliated institutions such as schools and hospitals are also exempt, though under a compromise worked out by the administration following an uproar from religious leaders, employees of religiously-affiliated institutions will have access to contraception paid for directly by health insurance companies.

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When asked specifically about religiously-affiliated employers, 57 percent of Americans said they should be able to opt out of the mandate if they have religious or moral objections. Thirty-six percent said such organizations should have to cover birth control.

Democrats have tried to frame the debate as one about women's access to reproductive health, while Republicans have tried to make it about religious liberty. Earlier this month, the Senate struck down the Blunt amendment, a GOP-sponsored measure that would have enabled all employers - not just those affiliated with religious institutions - to opt out of the contraceptive care mandate due to religious or moral objections.

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A slight majority of Americans say the issue is about health care, not religious liberty.

Fifty-one percent of Americans say they think the issue is more about women's health and their rights than about religious freedom, while 37 percent say the opposite. Among those who say the issue is about women's health and rights, a strong majority (76 percent) say all employers should cover birth control. Among those who said the coverage issue was more about religious freedoms, a slim majority (53 percent) say all employers should be able to opt out.

In a CBS News/New York Times survey conducted last month, 61 percent of Americans said they supported federally-mandated contraception coverage for religiously-affiliated employers, while 31 percent said they opposed such coverage. In that poll, respondents were not questioned about whether or not employers should be able to opt out based on moral or religious objections.

[Glen_Forrest]

I am a Catholic and an employer very unhappy about losing my Freedom of Religion because of the HHS mandate. Since people like me and our jobs are apparently no longer wanted, I am already starting to look for a place where I am wanted to move my company and my jobs. The United States has been chasing away employers and jobs for years and things are not getting any better.

[Captain__America]

I'm an old political science major, and the whole matter is an aggressive theft of constitutional rights of conscience.

Health care, especially national health care, is a good thing. . . but it's much more important to retain our rights as citizens. Let's hope more sensible minds come together to change this sorely-misguided and morally bankrupt diktat from HHS.

[TStewartIII3]

NewsBusters: CBS Buries Poll Finding 57% Against ObamaCare Mandate on Website
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2012/03/13/cbs-buries-poll-finding-57-against-obamacare-mandate-website

[nearl451]

Republicans agrred to this coverage as was passed in 2001 and signed by Bush.

Corporations CANNOT have religious convictions as an individual person does. Corporations do not worship God, nor any specific denomination....even if they are affiliated with the Church.

There is a matter of religious freedom here: FREEDOM FROM RELIGION in the workplace and in medical advisement. It is personal religious freedom; not corporate freedom to worship!!

AND it is the stupidest thwarting of any cost control measure currently funded by the system. Texas is preparing to be fat pregnant and ingorant with the Statelaw prohibiting federal funding for anything "planned".

[ROSCOELSE]

The women from the left just want the government to provide for contraception and abortion,they don't know how to say NO or cross their legs,they think the federal government is going to give them absolution for their sins against their church,i'm sure the obama administration will gladly proclaim that they are cleansed and free to move about the country and sin to their hearts content,But,not all women think of themselves of being that loose,lowly have that bad opinion of themselves.It's too bad these women have such a low opinion of themselves,perhaps,they should seek counciling.

[RetiredArmy_Nurse]

The only women who get government fully free contraception are military women and female military dependents. The government is not paying for this in the private sector. It is private health insurance and the companies are paying for it themselves as contraception is cheaper than pregnancy. Stop pushing your religion on the rest of us and saying it is OK for a religious employer to bully and discriminate against women. I get so tired of seeing these same non-factual arguments from the right. Buy a book and get educated about it--a real book, not one put out by the radical right.

[ROSCOELSE]

Obamacare violates the First Amendment,PERIOD,it violates the 1st regarding separation of church and state,obamacare should be ruled unconstitutional by The U.S.Supreme Court,it is not about womens health issues.It's about the liberal left using the arguement that this involves the right to womens health is just smoke being blown up a womans keester that her rights are being wrongfully infringed,they are not infringed unless you are religious,believe the doctrine and teachings of your church which includes most christian churches regarding contraception and abortion.The federal government and state government cannot dictate to any American their right to practice abortion or contraception if it is contrary to the churches teaching and doctrine,any attempt to do so violates The First Amendment.
Low lifes like pelosi,allred,planned parenthood and the georgetown 30year old grad student are just muddying the waters,allred to make money for her practice,pelosi and the sudent to push their far left agenda,they could care less about womens rights and ppis just trying to feather their nest with pelosi and pushing their agenda like they really care about women,they care about $360,000,000.00 a year in federal subsidies and they're trying to protect that pork.Any woman that believes their lies,shouldn't be allowed in public,they might embarass themselves by opening their mouth and removed all doubt as to whether or not they're stupid.

[RetiredArmy_Nurse]

This was never about rights or morals of employers, but about the rights of employees to reproductive healthcare. Contraception is an integral part of women's healthcare. I think the polltakers asked the question in a way to get this result. We are are all entitled to healthcare thru our insurance. Actually, we pay for it not our employers. It is part of our compensation and the insurance companies now will give it anyway at no cost as contraception is cheaper than a pregnancy every year. What is it about this that people do not understand? Your reproductive healthcare is between you, your doctor, and your partner. It is no one else's business, especially not your employer.

[nancy_naive]

Most Americans are idiots.

[TX-Ed]

Its starting to look like Fox news has taken over CBS tonight! There's nothing but bad news out here tonight!

[TX-Ed]

Its starting to look like Fox news has taken over CBS tonight! There's nothing but bad news out here tonight!