Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- The Caritas Catholic health care system faces continued criticism over a health insurance bid that will result in it making abortion referrals. Massachusetts state officials awarded the bid, which has Caritas Christi Health Care joining with Centene Corporation.

The bid allows the joint effort to provide government-subsidized health insurance in Massachusetts that would include coverage for abortion.

The bid to provide state-subsidized health insurance would take place through the Commonwealth Care program.

Massachusetts pro-life advocates have been up in arms because an ostensibly Catholic health system appears to be the latest to deliquesce to a secular government and health care provider that has no problems with abortion.

In March, state officials told the Boston Herald that Caritas officials will refer women seeking abortions to a consumer hotline to find other insurance providers who will cover an abortion.

Since then, in response to an inquiry from the Catholic Action League, Brian Delaney, communications director for CeltiCare, owned by Centene, confirmed that the joint venture will be operational by July 1 and that it "will meet all the state’s requirements under the Commonwealth Care program, including providing family planning services as appropriate.”

C. J. Doyle, director of the group, told LifeNews.com this is the third time that a representative of the Caritas/Centene partnership has affirmed that the Commonwealth Care contract will include abortion.

He is concerned that the Boston Archdiocese is not doing more to make sure abortion referrals are not taking place or to confront Caritas about them.

“It is clear that the Caritas/Centene partnership is proceeding with all deliberate speed towards the July 1st start-up date of the Commonwealth Care contract," he said.

"Catholics need to keep the pressure up on the Archdiocese to cancel the contract," he added.

ACTION: Contact Caritas Christi and urge it not to begin doing abortions or referring for them. Caritas Christi Health Care,
736 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02135, (p) 617-789-2500, CCR.Webmaster@CaritasChristi.org

Related web sites:
Caritas Christi - http://www.caritaschristi.org

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