What exactly does “closely held” really mean?

And will these “closely held” organizations be completely transparent about all the implications of their particular religious beliefs?  There is much to think about with regard to the Supreme Court Hobby Lobby Decision.

As much of a liberal feminist as I am, I have always supported the right of faith-based organizations to decline covering medical prescriptions/procedures that their church doctrine views as immoral. Part of my opinion is based on the fact that most people are aware of these policies when they are hired by a Catholic hospital or other obviously faith-based employers.  
I DO hope that the law will require that  “closely held” corporations be completely upfront about their religious doctrine when they interview prospective employees, along with the implications those beliefs might have to employees who are not of that faith – even beyond the issue of birth control. For instance, could women employed by a “closely held” Muslim corporation be required to wear a head scarf at work? 
Currently I am trying to find an unbiased source to answer one question. Does the Hobby Lobby plan cover vasectomies? Many sites indicate that they do cover Viagra and other similar drugs. I do not see that as a viable criticism in this context. Viagra is a drug aimed at restoring a natural ability that has been lost. But what about vasectomies? How is that different from birth control? Is Hobby Lobby still covering vasectomies? Are they still covering female sterilization?  I cannot determine that for sure. It is so hard to find an unbiased site with a definitive answer.
Now – before the conservatives start yelling that Hobby Lobby is still covering other forms of female birth control (just not those they see as being equivalent to abortion)…..trust me …. I FULLY understand that a vasectomy is a way to prevent the fertilization of eggs – not to destroy the ability of a fertilized egg to grow or abort an embryo.  And I know that Hobby Lobby is still paying for the pill and other forms of birth control.
BUT, I am looking at the larger implications of this Supreme Court ruling.
I believe this ruling opens the door for Catholic “closely held” corporations to ban ALL birth control, since Church doctrine forbids all forms of artificial birth control. Again – I have no problem with that if the organization is totally upfront about their policies and it is obvious that this is a CATHOLIC organization. But suppose a small Catholic family opens an ice cream store called…say… “Ice Cream Lobby”? How will future employees know of a religious connection? There needs to be very clear government requirements that both small and large employers be totally upfront about what is and is not being covered by their health plans. People need to know what they might be giving up in the way of employee benefits when they sign on to ANY kind of faith-based organization, whether it be a closely held corporation or the Vatican. 
Clearly stating the religious background of all organizations will be absolutely imperative of course. Most of us know the stance on birth control of the Catholic Church. But some may not. How many of us know the full religious doctrine of every faith – Jewish, Mormon, Presbyterian, Hari-Krishnas, Unitarians, Muslims etc. etc. etc.?
Do I agree with the Hobby Lobby decision?  I am not entirely sure. Nothing is ever simple. I need to research some more. The problem is that the noisiest opinions rise to the top of Google. What I have read so far is either rabidly conservative or rabidly liberal. Yes, my conservative friends….BOTH extreme positions are easily found on the internet and other media outlets. Really. The “lame stream media” cuts both ways.
It is moderation and thoughtfulness that are in short supply these days. 
 

One thought on “What exactly does “closely held” really mean?

  1. Part way down the page (after an inflamitory headline) this article says, “Nor did they exclude surgical procedures specific to men, such as prostatectomies, vasectomies, and circumcisions.”
    http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/09/supreme-court-pregnancy-discrimination-peggy-young-ups

    This article concurrs that Hobby Lobby does currently cover vasectomies. http://guardianlv.com/2014/09/men-may-finally-take-birth-control-into-their-own-hands/

    I came to the site to look into literature, and ended up doing researcher of a different sort. ^_^ It answered some of my own questions to do so. Have a wonderful night.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *