Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life watchdog group has uncovered evidence showing that student health insurance plan provided by Boston College, a Catholic school, includes coverage for "family planning services." The Cardinal Newman Society has confirmed that includes birth control but it may include abortions as well.

CNS informed LifeNews.com today in a statement that birth control services are explicitly covered under the student health plan, Blue Care Elect Preferred (PPO).

The plan is an optional plan for students provided by Boston College.

Although elective abortion is not explicitly stated in the policy, Koster Insurance Agency, Boston College’s insurance agent, could not rule out the possibility that abortions are covered by the policy.

Koster told the Boston College Observer newspaper that surgical abortions do not appear to be covered but both Blue Cross Blue Shield nor Koster Insurance Agency said they would have to more thoroughly examine the possibly to ensure that is the case.

“Now that it has been uncovered that Boston College is providing unethical coverage to students, college officials should take immediate action to provide students with insurance options that conform to Catholic teachings,” said Patrick J. Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society.

“BC needs to send a strong message, especially after students voted in a referendum last year to petition the college to make contraceptives available on campus," he said.

Boston College is one of only four Catholic universities that cover birth control in their student health insurance plans. Fordham, DePaul, and Holy Cross are the other three.

Reilly said those schools stand in stark contrast to the situation at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.

There, the Catholic institution is engaged in religious liberty battle with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission because the college refuses to cover contraception in its faculty health care plan.

Related web sites:
Cardinal Newman Society - http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org

Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com