Do you know what your health insurance dollars are paying for? Michael O'Dea, long involved in the insurance industry and a strong proponent of Catholic teaching, knows exactly what most healthcare insurances provide for ---abortion and contraceptive coverage.

To come up with alternative health coverage, O'Dea established the Christus Medicus Foundation in June this year. "It is primarily to educate religious leaders, healthcare professionals, and policymakers" said O'Dea. "They are ignorant of how they are subsidizing the 'Culture of Death' and taking Christians' money to fund it."

One of the primary goals of the foundation is to get the Catholic Church to establish their own medical insurance program. But is this a monumental task? "I don't think so," said O'Dea. "Insurance is a very simple concept. There are enough employees of the Catholic Church to get it started. It is simply a matter of will." And getting that will working is what O'Dea and his foundation are all about. He said what is needed is the anchor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Directives of Catholic Healthcare. Administration is a key factor, he said. "It must be under the control of the Church so no manipulation can take place."

Another must is a conscience clause, according to O'Dea, and that is already being dealt with in the Michigan legislature.

"The family-planning and reproductive-rights people are trying to prohibit, by law, the Church from being in healthcare," he said. California governor Gray Davis has already done just that with the "Equity and Prescription Drug Act." It basically forces all healthcare companies with prescription drug coverage to pay for and provide contraceptive drug coverage.

Nine states have already passed similar legislation. This same legislation is pending on a federal level. "If a health plan offers prescription coverage, they have to either drop the prescription coverage or pay for chemical killing," said O'Dea. "This is a major freedom-of-religion issue. One of our major goals is to make sure Christians have freedoms in healthcare."

Even Michigan's MIChild program health insurance for children under 19 from low-income families provides payment and coverage for drugs and devices that are approved by the FDA for contraception. Catholic organizations wishing to participate in the program are required to provide for that coverage. Gov. Engler signed that law. Payment for these contraceptive devices and chemicals are kept confidential from parents.

O'Dea testified before the State House in October concerning the need to remove abortion coverage from all health plans, in the wake of a proposed package of three bills that would remove the abortion coverage automatically provided in most current plans. If the legislation is passed, a rider will then be required for any health plan to offer abortion coverage. O'Dea said a similar bill was passed in Missouri but not enforced.

"We need to unify on this issue," said O'Dea. "We're looking for help to educate the Church hierarchy and to evangelize Christian leaders. Life and death decisions are being made in healthcare. Our money is being taken to subsidize the 'Culture of Death'."

For more information about the Christus Medicus Foundation call (248) 594-8664, fax (248) 594-8663, e-mail MikeODea@coast.net