Obamacare back in court as Texans challenge coverage for STDs and HIV care

[MissMillie]

Source: Politico via MSN

A key piece of the Affordable Care Act is on trial Tuesday as a group of Texans challenge the law’s requirement that insurers cover preventive services — everything from STD screenings and HIV prevention drugs to depression checks and flu shots.

The case before Judge Reed O’Connor — the author of several anti-Obamacare rulings — at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas is the latest conservative-led legal effort to undermine the 12-year-old law, and could determine whether insurance companies are allowed to deny coverage or charge sky-high copays for common preventive care going forward.

This challenge, filed in March of 2020 by a group of Texas residents and employers and backed by former Trump officials, argues that the ACA’s preventive care mandates violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and that forcing people to pay for plans that cover STD screenings and HIV prevention drugs will "facilitate and encourage homosexual behavior, prostitution, sexual promiscuity, and intravenous drug use."




Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/obamacare-back-in-court-as-texans-challenge-coverage-for-stds-and-hiv-care/ar-AAZZ83R?ocid=U483DHP&pc=U483&cvid=2dd7d795bd3d4c3ba7a432e8d3c76cac

---

The "pro-life" party is at it again.

This suit has two goals that I can see: 1) prevent people from getting health care, and 2) bankrupt the ACA.

Why does the GOP hate Americans so much?

[inthewind21]

1. Better question

Why are they so stupid they would screw themselves in the process.

[XanaDUer2]

2. They only hate working people nt

[Diamond_Dog]

3. You know why they want to end HIV prevention

Their anti - gay agenda.

It’s anyone’s guess why they want to end STD screenings. But I’m sure it’s some vile agenda of theirs.

[Evolve Dammit]

14. my first thought

[mountain grammy]

4. Cause republican Jesus told them to

that guy's a real asshole.

[xocetaceans]

13. Their version of Jesus is much worse than one who would ally with the money-changers in the temple.

Here is something I encountered as a result of tracing some anti-vaxxer's Twitter postings - that in itself was a trip down delusional lane.

If you listen to the lyrics, it becomes evident that their version of Jesus is one who is returning to end the world with sword. The "song" talks about Jesus separating the strong from the weak and not in a the-meek-shall-inherit-the-Earth sort of way. The chosen graphic of an angry Anglo-Jesus says it all.

Here's an excerpt from about 02:47 in the video.

"The King is coming back and he [sic] jacking the sheep. His mighty hand will expand, and it's smashing the weak."

So much for the idea of Jesus/Lord as a shepherd, I suppose.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. So now the GQP want to decide which illnesses are in gawd's plan.

[IronLionZion]

6. Not this shit again

RW think tanks have cases planned out and ready to go up to the RW supreme court to undo any good that has ever passed through congress. These assholes are relentless.

As if straight people don't hget STDs. The old people at The Villages have tons of STDs. The Matt Gaetz type probably get STDs through his professional network. And whatever cocaine orgies Madison Cawthorne was involved in.

[ificandream]

7. In the not so distant past, this suit wouldn't be much to worry about. But ...

... that's not the case now. Hopefully, this case shot down. In which case, of course, they'll appeal.

[xocetaceans]

8. It's because God won't let them off the hook unless the USA becomes a Christian theocracy.

One semi-fundamentalist Christian once told me essentially that God engages in the collective punishment of nations which do not follow God's laws.

That was in response to me asking him how specifically gay people (he had been talking loudly about some anti-gay Limbaugh rant) and other groups (which he at that moment less loudly disdained) affected his life.

So, that must be at least a partial answer to the question of why they actually hate the current state of the USA. Much more could lie behind their delusions, though.

It's pretty clear that their fundamentalist religion, their resulting need to control everyone and their inability to think outside of their own personal circumstances all contribute to what they are seeking to do.

[IronLionZion]

9. When I worked for a shithole company years ago (they no longer exist)

they complained that the employees were using too much mental health and substance abuse treatment and it was costing too much. All part of ACA coverage. They also inexplicably complained that young employees were using too much healthcare

There are many reasons why that company ceases to exist. Terrible toxic management was one of them.

[Evolve Dammit]

15. sounds like a good group of Goopers.

[ChazInAz]

26. That sounds familiar.

I used to work in Tucson's biggest and oldest hospital. We actually had an all-staff meeting directing us not to use our health insurance so much, for that very reason.

[IronLionZion]

29. Odd line of thinking

1. I would think some of that money would go back into the hospital if you get treatment there
2. They don't want healthy employees?

[ChazInAz]

34. They didn't care.

The insurer was not happy about the expenses involved, and made it known to upper management.
For example: there was a huge number of carpal tunnel cases in food service among the cooks. The insurance company declared a moratorium on surgeries for that. My own bad hearing was damaged even more by the intense noise level in the kitchen. Staff had to shout at one another to be heard over the convection ovens, steamers, ventilation hoods, steam jacket kettles. When OSHA was finally roused out of its slumber to pay attention, management had one of the office workers wear a sensor to measure the decibel levels. Very quiet in the office...

[Midnight Writer]

10. "forcing people to pay for plans"? If they don't like the terms, don't buy a plan.

[MissMillie]

11. I think what they mean is that

the ACA is supported by tax dollars.

But I don't get while that argument holds any sway.

My tax dollars funded an immoral invasion of a country that did not attack the U.S.

[slightlv]

19. No to mention, MissMillie,

that our tax dollars are now being used to fund so many of *their* fundamentalist religious preferences, i.e., parochial schools, etc. As a member of a Pagan religion, I certainly don't support my tax dollars going to support THEIR religion at the expense of mine! And I daresay, they won't willingly shunt any of that money to support any Pagan religions! /s

[ananda]

12. GOP motto: No low too low.

nt

[ashredux]

16. These people are not even close to following Christ....

1 John 4:21

“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

These folks Hate….

[slightlv]

21. Dominionists feel

anything they do in the name of their Lord is forgiven. That means absolutely anything -- lie, cheat, steal, even murder is forgiven as on as they do it the name of God with "His" will as the reason. Of course, it used to be we committed anyone who swore they knew what the will of God was, especially if they heard God speak to them. Today, the crazier they talk (especially in tongues) the more they're believed! It's an upside-down world that somehow we have to turn back right-side up!

I'm not Christian; if I never step foot inside a church again at this point it'll be too soon... especially after all this mess. Count me as one sick of what these people have done to Xtianity, even though I know its nothing but a bastardization of the religious faith. But right now, hubby and I both are sick of this "majority religion" and would like to see it made into a "minority religion" by any means possible. They think they're threatened now in the U.S.? I'd like to see them actually threatened. But it's hard... because I'm not talking about those who are actually trying to follow the teachings of Christ. But just calling yourself a Christian doesn't make yourself one. And these people are NOT Christians. They're playacting at their own religion. They've all but made it up out of whole cloth, with just enough of the trappings from the Bible to fool the gullible. I'd say "Shame on them" if they had any shame left in them.

[hibbing]

24. There's no hate like Christian love n/t

[Turbineguy]

17. Nobody should get help

It will just keep people from spreading it around.

[Bayard]

18. Projecting again

"facilitate and encourage homosexual behavior, prostitution, sexual promiscuity, and intravenous drug use." Historically, rethuglicans have more of a problem with these behaviors.

[elleng]

20. Zacly

[AZLD4Candidate]

27. I don't know how they can say this. I wonder if there is any actual evidence of this.

[Warpy]

22. Good grief, this isn't the Onion

Is anyone in that party normal ore they all sex phobic freaks who scuttle about in the shadows violating children while screeching and pointing their fingers at everybody else?

Can't live with 'em, still illegal to shoot 'em.

The purpose of health care is to screen for and treat illness. The purpose of health insurance is to make sure health care workers get paid for their efforts.

What about this do they refuse to grasp?

Disgusting, all of them.

[NullTuples]

23. Judge Reed O'Connor is an activist judge; this case is crafted to go before the SCOTUS

Google him; he uses the Bible to justify his rulings and sometimes just good ol' Republican "common sense". Then he imposes it on a national scale via an injunction that goes far beyond the case at hand.

[AZLD4Candidate]

25. Thank you, Green Party people, for voting for Jill Stein so this madness can destroy us

But, knowing how smug they are, they will say TFG and Hillary were two sides of the same coin. Liberal gadflies would cut of their noses to spite their lungs and face.

[iluvtennis]

28. We won the house in 2018 because people thought they would lose their health care - let's do it

again in 2022.

So fkn tired of these Dr Death rethuglicans.

[ificandream]

30. This is all about what made Dump go after the ACA again and again.

It's all about their hatred of President Obama. I hope this ACA obsession is their downfall. It would be justice.

[paleotn]

31. The Death Party.

[SunSeeker]

32. This is just fucking evil and hurts all Americans.

Why must their bigotry be imposed on everyone?

[Going to Canada]

33. The Forced Birth Party or the, Gilead Party!

They never talk about paying for a man's erectile medications. Right?