Do you believe in miracles? Ask Greg Hall, whose company supplied technology and know-how that helped rescue 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for more than two months in 2010.
Almost as miraculous, Hall’s American Manufacturing Co. just received a permanent federal exemption from provisions of the Affordable Care Act that contradict the Catholic deacon and businessman’s religious convictions.
“I’m very happy. Obviously, it was not a battle we wanted to join, but we felt we had to and so we did,” said Hall about his company. “We’re pleased that we’re able to continue to offer our employees medical insurance without the areas that violated our Catholic conscience.”
Christmas came early for seven Minnesota business owners who had faced with the dilemma of violating their religious convictions or paying massive fines to the Internal Revenue Service.
“The government, with respect to these companies, is permanently enjoined from enforcing or applying the [Department of Health and Human Services] mandate against them,” said Erick Kaardal, a Twin Cities attorney who represents companies seeking relief.
“So they can get insurance from Medica, the insurer providing the accommodation to the businesses, without the required coverages, including contraception, birth control, abortifacients, sterilization and related counseling.”
Under Obamacare, companies must include contraceptives, abortion-inducing drugs and elective sterilization in medical coverage for employees. Business owners must cover these or face massive fines from the IRS.
As a result, eight for-profit firms in Minnesota—more than any other state, Kaardal says—obtained a temporary injunction against forced compliance, buying time as a legal challenge headed to the Supreme Court.
“Plaintiffs base their challenge on their sincerely held religious belief that life begins at conception and certain of the FDA-approved contraceptive methods, such as emergency contraceptives Plan B and ella, as well as certain intrauterine devices (“IUDs”), can destroy a human embryo,” according to court documents filed by Hastings Automotive owner Doug Erickson.
