Administration must rewrite the mandate to ensure religious institutions have a right to practice what they preach

BOHEMIA, NY— "Our members and many others who rallied to protect Religious Freedom this week won a preliminary victory when a federal court told the Obama administration to rewrite the health care law's contraception mandate," according to Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens.

The mandate would force religious institutions to pay for certain employee contraception and abortion costs even though it would force them to ignore their established teachings. "The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals said in its ruling that the administration must rewrite the mandate to ensure religious institutions have a right to practice what they preach. It was a victory not just for church-based organizations but for all who believe and want to protect all of the rights guaranteed in our Constitution."

Weber explained that Wheaton College and The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty were among dozens of church organizations that sued the government over the mandate. Many non-affiliated organizations, including AMAC, offered direct and indirect support.

"Apparently we made it too hot of an issue for the government and so during oral arguments the Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius relented and promised the mandate would be amended. But the court wanted more than promises. It ruled that the administration must rewrite the Obamacare provision by August 2013. In addition, the court demanded that the government provide progress reports every 60 days in the interim."

Kyle Duncan, who argued the case for the Becket Fund put it this way: "The D.C. Circuit has now made it clear that government promises and press conferences are not enough to protect religious freedom. The court is not going to let the government slide by on non-binding promises to fix the problem down the road."

Weber said that the ruling is an example of how powerful individuals can be when they band together for a common cause. "In this case, the cause is the protection of the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Association of Mature American Citizens is proud to have played a small role in achieving this first win. We recognize that we have a long way to go before we get a final resolution to this controversial issue. But, with the support of our members, we will not give in until we have won this fight decisively."

All seats reserved— must be purchased in advance

BALTIMORE— The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) announced ticket sales for the special MARC Train service for the Presidential Inauguration on Monday, January 21, 2013. The commemorative tickets will go on sale December 17, 2012 at 8:00 a.m., and may be purchased online at www.mta.maryland.gov or at the MTA Transit store located at 6 St. Paul Street, Baltimore Maryland, 21202.

“The Presidential Inaugural events will draw people from across the country, and the MTA is proud to offer transportation services to and from the activities in our nation’s capital,” said MTA Administrator Ralign T. Wells. “This is a great opportunity to showcase the important role public transit plays in transporting commuters and visito Srs alike throughout Maryland,” added Wells.

All MARC service will operate as reserved trains, and tickets must be purchased in advance. The commemorative tickets are $25.00 each and orders are limited to a maximum 20 tickets per person.

MARC Train will operate on a special Penn and Brunswick Line morning and afternoon schedule that day. MARC Penn Line service will run eight morning trains departing from Baltimore’s Penn Station every 30 minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and ten afternoon trains departing from Washington’s Union Station from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Penn Line service will not operate north of Baltimore’s Penn Station and will only board passengers at Odenton, BWI, Halethorpe and West Baltimore between Penn and Union stations.

MARC Brunswick Line service will operate two morning trains departing from Martinsburg at 7:25 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. and two morning trains departing from Frederick at 8:15 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Two afternoon trains will depart Washington for Martinsburg at 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and two afternoon trains will depart for Frederick at 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Even though the inaugural events occur on a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, MTA officials are advising customers to expect crowded conditions going into and out and of Washington, D.C. Customers should also be aware that there are a limited number of tickets available, and they will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.

For general information on MTA service visit the MTA website at www.mta.maryland.gov.

Every generation believes their children deserve to be better off than they were. This belief inspired the first slave rebellion in 1663, when a new law dictated that children of African slaves would not be able to rise above the status of their parents. This belief led Linda Brown’s parents and the NAACP to defeat segregated schooling.  And it is this belief that keeps education at the center of the modern-day movement for social justice.

Brown v. Board of Education built a launching pad for education in the 21st century by removing barriers to equality and opening doors to opportunity. African Americans gained the confidence that their children, and generations of children to come, would indeed have access to a better future.   But somewhere along the way, America sputtered and lost its way.

Nearly fifty years after the end of desegregation, we are still only sending about one out of four students to college. In a knowledge-based economy, excluding three fourths of our students from higher education is no longer acceptable.  According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United States ranked 14th out of 34 OECD countries for reading skills, 17th for science and a below-average 25th for mathematics.  Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called this “an absolute wake-up call for America.”

The time for tinkering and small-scale experimentation is over. In order to lead the world’s global economy, we must create the world’s brightest workforce.  This starts by fixing our education so that all students can graduate college career-ready.

This week, the NAACP released a report titled “Finding Our Way Back to First: Reclaiming World Leadership by Educating All America’s Children”. Our proactive agenda builds off the foundation laid by Brown v. Board of Education, and it is just as focused on quality as it is on access to education.

“Finding Our Way Back to First” offers research-informed prescriptions for untapping the potential of our students. The NAACP is asking that its over 1,200 active units to advocate for the following reforms:

 First, all students should have a strong educational foundation before kindergarten. This means high quality, universal pre-kindergarten that supports strong literacy and language skills.

Second, we need effective teachers and leaders. Every school, regardless of location and resources, should have a strongly prepared, well-supported teacher in every classroom. Third, students need more time for more learning. This means longer school days, longer school years and more years of education. Schools also need to offer broad-based programs that extend beyond the regular school day, year and curriculum.

Finally, we need to target our resources at those schools that need them most. We should direct additional state funds to school districts with high concentrations of low-income students. And we should target funds from all levels to help those schools and students who are struggling hardest to achieve.

The NAACP earned its reputation in education by removing obstacles that blocked children from learning. But now is the time for proactive reform. To make the promise of a better life for our children real, we must support student learning and achievement. We must be determined to help every child reach his or her full potential and thereby ensure that we, as a nation, lead and serve globally.

Benjamin Todd Jealous is President and CEO of the national NAACP.

Cancer strikes without regard to political parties. Over time, one in two men and one in three women will hear the dreaded words, “You have cancer.” In fact, 75 percent of households will find themselves caring for a cancer patient at some point during their lives. No matter their political persuasion, cancer patients and caregivers will benefit from the next stages of Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation.

Cancer poses a plethora of challenges― physical, psychological, emotional, social, logistical and financial― to both cancer patients and their families. The costs of un-reimbursed medical care, even for people who have health insurance, caused 62 percent of personal bankruptcies in 2007, according to a study by Harvard researchers. For patients’ family caregivers, every hour spent agonizing about insurance and financial issues is an hour that is not supporting the cancer patient’s primary needs: sustaining normalcy, maintaining hope and restoring health.

The future of the ACA has been hanging in limbo since its passage in 2010, leaving cancer families wondering if future treatments would be covered, for how long, and with what financial impact on the rest of the family. Family caregivers bear the brunt of the financial stresses associated with a cancer diagnosis while the patient is otherwise engaged, often fighting for his or her life. Regardless of the outcome for the cancer patient, research has found that severe and prolonged cancer care giving can measurably shorten a caregiver’s life.

The 2012 election results provide certainty that the law will be implemented, freeing caregivers to focus on providing patient care and support. The passage of the Affordable Care Act was intended to ensure access to quality care with maximum quality of life, minimum administrative complexity, and significantly reduce financial stress. It will ensure that all Americans will have:

Health insurance coverage— Access to insurance coverage will be available even for those who change jobs, and coverage must be approved or continued regardless of gender or pre-existing conditions like cancer. No one will need to worry about an insurer canceling coverage or― effective January 1, 2014― being charged more when they receive a cancer diagnosis.

Earlier cancer detection— The earlier a cancer is detected, the more likely it is to be treatable and survivable. Effective January 1, 2013, the act provides for reduced or no-cost preventive and screening services for breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer, three of the most prevalent cancers.

More Extensive Medicare Drug Coverage— The Medicare Part D prescription cap in coverage (known as the “donut hole”) will be narrowed over time and eventually eliminated by 2020.

Longer coverage for children (even those with cancer)— Children up to the age of 26 can continue to maintain coverage under parents’ health insurance policies.

No lifetime limits (now) or annual limits on payments (by 2014), so patients won’t have to postpone treatments for fear of costs being incurred after an arbitrary limit has been reached.

Coverage for Clinical Trials— Beginning on January 1, 2014, coverage will be provided for anyone eligible to participate in a clinical trial that is appropriate to treat the patient’s condition.

Clinical trials represent treatments that are working their way out of the research pipeline into early commercialization. For patients facing certain life-threatening cancers, trials can represent the keys to longer life and potential survival.

The mechanics of implementation are still being developed by both, the states and insurance carriers, so much remains to be defined and communicated over the months ahead.

Two uncertainties remain that are important to cancer families as Congress confronts the need to agree on “fiscal cliff” deficit reductions. Mandated budget cuts that are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2013, if Congress does not reach prior agreements would jeopardize federal (National Institutes of Health) funding for cancer research, clinical trials, and breast and cervical cancer screening programs for low-income, uninsured and under-insured women. In addition, action is still needed on provisions for maintaining adequate drug reimbursements to office-based physicians who administer drug treatments covered by Medicare Part B.

In spite of these two uncertainties, a sigh of relief is timely and appropriate for cancer-affected families. Their focus now can be on managing their loved ones’ treatment processes, supporting them in their day-to-day living, and maintaining their hope for a cancer-free future. These focal points are the core of what effective cancer caregiving is all about.

Deborah J. Cornwall is an experienced advocate on behalf of cancer patients and their families, working with the Cancer Action Network, the legislative advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. She is also the author of Things I Wish I’d Known: Cancer Caregivers Speak Out, a new book based on interviews with 86 cancer caregivers and dozens of patients and survivors. For more information, visit: www.thingsiwishidknown.com.