Tom Monaghan, the founder of popular national chain Domino’s Pizza has joined the growing list of individuals, religious groups, political organizations, and states fighting the onset of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
While many facets of Obamacare are being implemented during 2013—including a slew of new tax laws in the IRS code and Federal Register—the totality of Obamacare will not take full effect until 2014.
Between now and then, battle lines have been drawn and churches, political action groups, business groups and about half the states are pushing back against all or some of the Obamacare provisions.
Mandated federal payment for abortions at issue
Monaghan, suing the federal government over the Obamacare provision that would force him to pay for women’s abortions, stands with several Christian churches and organizations, including the Catholic Church. The Domino’s Pizza founder is a strict Catholic who believes that the killing of children in the womb is a “gravely immoral” medical procedure that has nothing to do with health care. According to myfoxny.com, Monaghan filed the lawsuit in federal court. He—and his Domino’s Farms company in Ann Arbor, Michigan—is named as the plaintiff.
Lawsuits similar to the one Monaghan filed are appearing across the nation. The complaints cover a wide spectrum and not all key in on the federally mandated abortion controversy.
MyFox reports that Monaghan filed because he believes his civil rights and religious rights are being violated. Currently the health insurance coverage he offers employees does not cover abortions. Monaghan is upset that Obamacare would force him to provide something he believes is wrong and wants the federal judge to find the Obamacare abortion mandate unConstitutional.
Other businesses fight against Obamacare
Other employers are also fighting back against a growingly intrusive federal government. Recently, three top American businessmen challenged Obama on the health care act and the administration’s general business policies that seem to be based on inciting class warfare and an “us versus them” footing.
Meanwhile, employers across the country—from Fortune 1,000 corporations to mom and pop stores—are fighting Obamacare by cutting back on employee hours. Doing so enables them to shift the burden of health coverage from their companies to the individual employee.
Implementation of Obamacare is far from a sure thing. With all the fighting in courts, states nullifying the Act, and many conservative church groups almost literally up in arms, what may be implemented in 2014 may not be what Congress cobbled together and President Obama signed into law on March 23, 2010.