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A Texas judge rules coverage of anti-HIV medicine violates religious freedom

Morrison71

HR Legend
Nov 10, 2006
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This lawsuit is the latest in a decade of legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act, many of which have run through O'Connor's courtroom. In 2018, O'Connor ruled that the entirety of the ACA was unconstitutional, a decision that was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

At issue in the class-action lawsuit is a 2020 mandate requiring health care plans to cover HIV prevention medication, known as PrEP, free of charge as preventive care.

In the suit, a group of self-described Christian business owners and employees in Texas argue that the preventive care mandates violate their constitutional right to religious freedom by requiring companies and policyholders to pay for coverage that conflicts with their faith and personal values.

The lawsuit was filed in 2020 by Austin attorney Jonathan Mitchell, the legal mind behind Texas' civilly enforced six-week abortion ban. In the suit, Mitchell also challenges the entire framework through which the federal government decides what preventive services get cover
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One of the plaintiffs, Dr. Steven Hotze of Katy, often sues the government and elected officials over politically charged issues, including fights with GOP state leaders over emergency COVID-19 orders and an attempt to stop Harris County from expanding voter access.

In the complaint, Hotze said he is unwilling to pay for a health insurance plan for his employees that covers HIV prevention drugs such as Truvada and Descovy, known generally as PrEP, "because these drugs facilitate or encourage homosexual behavior, which is contrary to Dr. Hotze's sincere religious beliefs."
 
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Reactions: Torg and Huey Grey
Eff this business and eff this judge. This whole lawsuit hinges on blatant homophobia and should be thrown out. I think about all the progress we've made, but then open bigotry like this reminds me that there are still a lot of homophobes out there trying to strip away our rights and put us back in the closet.
 
Eff this business and eff this judge. This whole lawsuit hinges on blatant homophobia and should be thrown out. I think about all the progress we've made, but then open bigotry like this reminds me that there are still a lot of homophobes out there trying to strip away our rights and put us back in the closet.

Who's going to overturn it? I mean, let's say it does, TX will appeal and it will, eventually, get to SCOTUS. Current SCOTUS going to overturn?
 
Eff this business and eff this judge. This whole lawsuit hinges on blatant homophobia and should be thrown out. I think about all the progress we've made, but then open bigotry like this reminds me that there are still a lot of homophobes out there trying to strip away our rights and put us back in the closet.
Agree, and sorry.

Dislike (in some cases, hatred) of everything LGBTQ is the motivating factor behind all of these initiatives. Makes me sick, and sad.
 
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