Georgetown Rejects Sandra Fluke, No Birth Control Policy Change

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Apr 26, 2012   |   5:00PM   |   Washington, DC

Georgetown University has rejected attempts by liberal pro-abortion activists and Sandra Fluke to reject attempts by her to get the Catholic college to change its birth control coverage policy.

Today, Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia released a public letter saying Georgetown will not change its policy unless legally forced to do so.

The letter doesn’t take Fluke to task or even mention her directly, but it rebuts many of the claims she made as she gained national notoriety and attempted to use it to force the college to do her bidding. One of Fluke’s biggest points of contention is that students may somehow find themselves in very rare circumstances in which birth control may be medically necessary — something DeGioia says is already covered in the current policy.

The full letter reads:

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

I write to you regarding Georgetown’s health insurance and contraceptive coverage in our plans.  Many members of our community have expressed different perspectives on this issue.  I am grateful for the respectful ways in which you have shared your opinions.

As you know, like most universities, Georgetown requires that students have health insurance. Students are not required to purchase their health insurance through Georgetown University and are free to acquire health insurance through a third party. The student plan offered by Georgetown is consistent with our Catholic and Jesuit identity and does not cover prescription contraceptives for birth control.  It does provide coverage for these prescriptions for students who require them for health reasons unrelated to birth control, as determined by a physician.

After thoughtful and careful consideration, we will continue our current practice for contraceptive coverage in our student health insurance for the coming year, as allowed for under the current rules issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

There will also be no change to the University’s approach to contraceptive coverage for employees for 2013.

We will be monitoring further regulatory and judicial developments related to the Affordable Care Act. I hope this is helpful in clarifying a matter of concern to many of you.

You have my very best wishes as we conclude our academic year.

Sincerely,
John J. DeGioia

CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!

In the wake of Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute sponsoring a Sandra Fluke speaking engagement, President DeGioia received an open letter signed by over 100 concerned current students and alumni.

The letter requested clarity on the Catholic university’s policy, as it relates to contraception, in light of misinformation spread by Fluke and supporters in the media and in her testimony before the U.S. House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.