Real-money gaming platform Betable today announced the newest partner in its private beta program: casual game developer Frima Studio?s new real-money game division 3OAK.
3OAK is a new development studio formed to create casual and social games built featuring real-money gameplay. ?Like other developers who have partnered with Betable since the company came out of stealth last summer, 3OAK will be targeting international audiences with the games featuring Betable?s API.
Although real-money gaming has only been seen in social casino games so far, 3OAK isn?t working on these kinds of titles right now. 3OAK director Mikael Lefebvre tells us the studio is working to bring real-money mechanics to genres they haven?t really appeared in so far. As a result, the company has a slate of five game concepts it?s working on, based on the most popular social game types. While he can?t share too many details right now, Lefebvre says the company?s first title will be a humorous/light social RPG which is already in the early testing phase and is expected for an early Q2 launch.
Lefebvre says 3OAK tested out real-money gaming by creating a social game prototype with a cash out mechanic. The prototype showed the retention and engagement were significantly higher than the norm in social games, as well as converting users to paying players. He thinks implementing elements like this will is the way of the future because, ?all this makes sense because in the current market the cost of acquiring users is getting higher and higher, so we need higher revenue per user and revenue per paying user.?
While 3OAK?s titles will feature real-money gaming in the territories where such mechanics are legal, Lefebvre tells us they?ll also be available as standard social games in other countries with soft and hard currencies.
Betable CEO Christopher Griffin tells us he?s excited about how 3OAK?s implementing his company?s API; according to Griffin, this is one of the first examples of Betable?s technology in social games outside of the casino genre. He tells us there are other developers working with Betable on non-social casino games, but none of them have been officially unveiled yet.
Griffin believes this is just the start of a larger movement in the social/mobile gaming industries to incorporate real-money elements. ?I think this is more than a trend and will be more than a trend,? he says. ?This has something that will be very core for how these games monetize and will be essential for them to have some element of real money in them if they want to be competitive.?
Although this is the first time we?ve heard of companies making casual games with real-money mechanics, we?ve known this was a possibility since Betable first came out of stealth. When we initially chatted with Griffin back in July, he provided a mock-up graphic showing how his company?s API would look in mobile titles like Words With Friends and Hero Academy.
Betable?s proven a popular partner in the social/mobile games sector ever since it publicly debuted. Griffin reveals the demand to work with the company has been so great that its team has doubled in size. Before this latest announcement, Betable?s announced partnerships with some major casual gaming companies like Big Fish Games, Digital Chocolate, SGN and Slingo.
3OAK?s first games will be launched for mobile platforms, but the plan is to make them cross-platform sooner rather than later. ?Everything has to be cross-platform,? Lefebvre notes.
I turned 28 yesterday and had a lovely weekend with friends, family and Jonathan and thought I would share a few snippets with you starting off with what I got up to on Saturday.?
Before I get going I wanted to say "thanks" for all of the sweet messages I received via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. I felt very lucky indeed to have such nice virtual friends and read every single message.
Giving my new Yumi coat (sale purchase from House of Fraser!) and black River Island jeans an outing
I went to Fired Arts for the second time (I blogged about my first time here) on Saturday morning with my friend, Katy. It was fairly quiet in there so we had a good chat and a catch up on what we've both been up to recently. We both opted for decoupage instead of pottery painting and made the same bunting using the same paper!
The bunting turned out really well and looks great on our hall door with a bit of sturdy string!
Before heading home, and as we were feeling rather peckish, we drove down the road to the new Fancie cafe which opened recently on Ecclesall Road. After a wait of about 15 minutes we were offered a couple of seats on a raised bench (as opposed to a proper table which people didn't seem to be vacating very speedily). The seats we got were fine anyway and our food came out really quickly (actually it came just before our drinks but not to worry!)
I opted for a cup of Yorkshire Tea and the veggie breakfast which consisted of 2 vegetarian sausages, 2 fried eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes with a side of the NICEST brown door-stop toast. I am not normally a fan of cooked tomatoes but these ones were really tasty, and the mushrooms, whatever they were cooked in, went down a treat. I got plenty of toast and actually struggled to finish, so my worries of the portions being small beforehand were soon put to rest.
Katy had a big bowl of curried parsnip soup (from the specials board) with door-stop brown bread and a bottle of raspberry lemonade and gave it all a big thumbs up!
We drove home where I found Jonathan busy in the kitchen baking me, I assumed, a birthday cake which I later found out had gone disastrously wrong. Having never baked before he was attempting fondant fancies. Needless to say they didn't go to plan but they tasted great and that's the main thing right! 10 out of 10 for effort. At the rate I am polishing them off I think I'll be on a sugar high for a while...
There was time for a cup of tea and a sprawl on the sofa (while Jonathan watched the rugby) before heading to Sheffield to his sister and brother in laws home. Jonathan's mum recently celebrated her 70th birthday (I swear there is no way she is 70, but apparently so!) and we spent a nice evening with his family eating good food, doing quizzes and playing board games. I know what to get Jonathan for Christmas this year now - boys and Lego ay!
By the time we got home it was after midnight and my birthday (woohoo!) so I was naughty and opened all of my presents as I've got no self control whatsoever. I got so many lovely gifts and felt well and truly spoilt. I got too many things to list them all but amongst them was money, Next vouchers, a onesie, a Gemma Correll tshirt (this one in grey), a shabby chic dressing table mirror, socks, jewellery, candles, a mug, a new cross stitch book (this one to be precise), and lots of vegetarian friendly sweets including marshmallows which I have been craving for quite some time.
We got up bright and early on Sunday morning for the long drive to Beamish but more about that another time as it requires a blog post all of its own. I will leave you with a photo of the sweet shop where I may have made a sneaky purchase...
Study finds health departments hindered in addressing health concerns from animal production sitesPublic release date: 4-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Chris Stevens dsteven@jhsph.edu 410-502-7578 Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
State and local health departments face significant barriers and usually do not get involved when confronted with public health concerns resulting from food animal production sites, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The authors of the study, published in PLOS ONE, an open-access publisher of scientific research, examined the role of local and state health departments in responding to and preventing community-driven concerns associated with animal production sites. This study developed when it was brought to the attention of two of the authors that community members may assume that local health departments actively monitor and address potential concerns arising from large animal production sites. Prior experience of the authors indicated that this perception might be misinformed.
For the study, "Investigating the Role of State and Local Health Departments in Addressing Public Health Concerns Related to Industrial Food Animal Production Sites," researchers interviewed officials representing 13 county and eight state health departments and community leaders. Survey participants were selected in areas with high densities or rapid growth of large swine production sites. Researchers asked participants a serious of questions in an effort to find out what health and environmental concerns are reported to health departments, how the health departments respond, and to determine barriers that may prevent increased involvement.
Past studies have shown air near animal production sites to contain hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, and allergens. Exposure to these emissions has been associated with multiple respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological health problems. Health department employees surveyed told investigators that, although some are often contacted by concerned community members living in close proximity to animal production sites, limited staff resources, lack of expertise or training, jurisdictional issues, and political pressures can hinder follow-up.
"Even though health departments are charged with monitoring and responding to the public health concerns of a community, most interviewed for the study said they had no involvement in decisions made about animal production sites," said Jillian Fry, PhD, lead author of the study. Primary regulatory authority over animal production sites, according to a report by the National Council of State Legislatures, frequently falls within the departments of the Environment or Natural Resources. "We believe formal involvement by state and local health departments may better protect the health of individuals in the community," said Fry.
Political and economic pressures were frequently cited as barriers to health departments becoming involved. Similarly, the researchers heard from participants that efforts to establish ordinances regulating animal production sites are often hindered by economic and political power held by agricultural corporations. As a result of the lack of health department involvement with concerns regarding animal production sites, community members surveyed noted they were, in essence, attempting to fill the role of health departments by performing environmental monitoring, and educating and informing the community. Community members said they often sought help and information from other government agencies, researchers, and other groupson a national or state levelto answer questions about animal production health concerns.
Community members surveyed said engaging a health department about animal production concerns had never led to a resolution. "Health departments generally don't get involved," noted Fry. "When they do, our study found that usually no action is ultimately taken to correct a potentially serious threat to public health." Community leaders contacted in the study unanimously supported an expanded role for health departments to become involved in animal production, equal to that of other state and local agencies. Health departments could be involved with animal production sites through assessment, education, outreach, monitoring, and participating in permitting decisions.
"We believe it is critical for affected communities, health care providers, policymakers, and public health professionals to be aware of the limited engagement on this issue by health departments," said Fry. "Health departments could play a more significant role in addressing community members' health concerns if resources and the political landscape changed."
Fry and the study's coauthors believe health departments with animal production sites in their county or state should be provided with training, educational materials, and additional funding to increase their understanding of the human health concerns surrounding animal agriculture. "Even with these additional resources, or a change in jurisdictional authority, political barriers will likely continue to be a significant challenge to fully addressing animal production and public health."
###
About the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future promotes research and develops and communicates information about the interrelationships among diet, food production, environment and human health. The Center also promotes policies that protect human health, the global environment and the ability to sustain life for future generations.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Study finds health departments hindered in addressing health concerns from animal production sitesPublic release date: 4-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Chris Stevens dsteven@jhsph.edu 410-502-7578 Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
State and local health departments face significant barriers and usually do not get involved when confronted with public health concerns resulting from food animal production sites, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The authors of the study, published in PLOS ONE, an open-access publisher of scientific research, examined the role of local and state health departments in responding to and preventing community-driven concerns associated with animal production sites. This study developed when it was brought to the attention of two of the authors that community members may assume that local health departments actively monitor and address potential concerns arising from large animal production sites. Prior experience of the authors indicated that this perception might be misinformed.
For the study, "Investigating the Role of State and Local Health Departments in Addressing Public Health Concerns Related to Industrial Food Animal Production Sites," researchers interviewed officials representing 13 county and eight state health departments and community leaders. Survey participants were selected in areas with high densities or rapid growth of large swine production sites. Researchers asked participants a serious of questions in an effort to find out what health and environmental concerns are reported to health departments, how the health departments respond, and to determine barriers that may prevent increased involvement.
Past studies have shown air near animal production sites to contain hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, and allergens. Exposure to these emissions has been associated with multiple respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological health problems. Health department employees surveyed told investigators that, although some are often contacted by concerned community members living in close proximity to animal production sites, limited staff resources, lack of expertise or training, jurisdictional issues, and political pressures can hinder follow-up.
"Even though health departments are charged with monitoring and responding to the public health concerns of a community, most interviewed for the study said they had no involvement in decisions made about animal production sites," said Jillian Fry, PhD, lead author of the study. Primary regulatory authority over animal production sites, according to a report by the National Council of State Legislatures, frequently falls within the departments of the Environment or Natural Resources. "We believe formal involvement by state and local health departments may better protect the health of individuals in the community," said Fry.
Political and economic pressures were frequently cited as barriers to health departments becoming involved. Similarly, the researchers heard from participants that efforts to establish ordinances regulating animal production sites are often hindered by economic and political power held by agricultural corporations. As a result of the lack of health department involvement with concerns regarding animal production sites, community members surveyed noted they were, in essence, attempting to fill the role of health departments by performing environmental monitoring, and educating and informing the community. Community members said they often sought help and information from other government agencies, researchers, and other groupson a national or state levelto answer questions about animal production health concerns.
Community members surveyed said engaging a health department about animal production concerns had never led to a resolution. "Health departments generally don't get involved," noted Fry. "When they do, our study found that usually no action is ultimately taken to correct a potentially serious threat to public health." Community leaders contacted in the study unanimously supported an expanded role for health departments to become involved in animal production, equal to that of other state and local agencies. Health departments could be involved with animal production sites through assessment, education, outreach, monitoring, and participating in permitting decisions.
"We believe it is critical for affected communities, health care providers, policymakers, and public health professionals to be aware of the limited engagement on this issue by health departments," said Fry. "Health departments could play a more significant role in addressing community members' health concerns if resources and the political landscape changed."
Fry and the study's coauthors believe health departments with animal production sites in their county or state should be provided with training, educational materials, and additional funding to increase their understanding of the human health concerns surrounding animal agriculture. "Even with these additional resources, or a change in jurisdictional authority, political barriers will likely continue to be a significant challenge to fully addressing animal production and public health."
###
About the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future promotes research and develops and communicates information about the interrelationships among diet, food production, environment and human health. The Center also promotes policies that protect human health, the global environment and the ability to sustain life for future generations.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2011 file photo, Energy Secretary Steven Chu testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. On Friday, the White House announced that Chu would be resigning his post. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2011 file photo, Energy Secretary Steven Chu testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. On Friday, the White House announced that Chu would be resigning his post. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who won a Nobel Prize in physics but came under questioning for his handling of a solar energy loan, is stepping down.
Chu offered his resignation to President Barack Obama in a letter Friday. He said he will stay on at least until the end of February and may stay until a successor is confirmed.
Chu's departure had been widely expected and follows announcements by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson and Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, that they are leaving.
The White House said no decisions have been made on replacements for any of the environment and energy jobs but said Obama's priorities will remain unchanged. Potential replacements for Chu include former North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and former Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Obama said in a statement Friday that Chu brought a "unique understanding of both the urgent challenge presented by climate change and the tremendous opportunity that clean energy represents for our economy."
During his tenure, Chu helped move the country toward energy independence, Obama said, referring to billions of dollars in Energy Department loans to boost renewable energy such as wind and solar power.
"Thanks to Steve, we also expanded support for our brightest engineers and entrepreneurs as they pursue groundbreaking innovations that could transform our energy future," Obama said.
Chu, 64, a former director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in California, had little political experience before taking the energy post in 2009.
He drew fire from congressional Republicans who criticized his handling of a $528 million federal loan to solar panel maker Solyndra, which later went bankrupt, laying off its 1,100 workers. Republicans said Chu and other Energy Department officials missed many warning signs about problems at Solyndra and compounded them by approving a restructuring of the loan even after problems were discovered.
Solyndra was the first renewable-energy company to receive a loan guarantee under the 2009 stimulus law, and the Obama administration frequently promoted the company as a model for its clean energy program. Chu attended a 2009 groundbreaking when the loan was announced, and Obama visited the company's Fremont, Calif., headquarters the next year.
The company's implosion in 2011 and revelations that the administration hurried a review of the loan in time for the groundbreaking become an embarrassment for Chu and Obama and a rallying cry for GOP critics of the administration's green energy program.
Lawmakers also criticized Chu for approving the plan to restructure Solyndra's debt so that two private investors moved ahead of taxpayers for repayment in case of default.
Chu defended the Solyndra loan during a sometimes testy hearing in late 2011. While calling the ultimate outcome "regrettable," Chu said the loan was subject to "proper, rigorous scrutiny and healthy debate" before it was approved in 2009.
"While we are disappointed in the outcome of this particular loan, we support Congress' mandate to finance the deployment of innovative technologies and believe that our portfolio of loans does so responsibly," Chu said.
The White House said Chu retained Obama's confidence, but Chu was widely expected to leave following Obama's re-election last fall.
In a letter to Energy Department employees, Chu said he was proud of his tenure and cited dozens of accomplishments, including doubling the production of renewable energy from wind and solar power. Installations of solar electric systems have nearly doubled in each of the last three years, he said, while fully 42 percent of new energy capacity in the U.S. last year was from wind ? more than any other energy source.
"I came with dreams and am leaving with a set of accomplishments that we should all be proud of," he said.
One of his accomplishments was something that Chu rarely talked about, but was frequently cited by Obama: Chu's role in helping to plug the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Chu and a team of engineers helped devised an interim solution before a replacement well permanently plugged the leak, which spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil in the worst offshore oil disaster in the country's history.
Chu came up with the solution "when nobody else could figure it out," Obama said Friday. "And that's typical of the incredible contributions that he's made to this country."
At Energy, Chu was most closely identified with his oversight of a massive, $35 billion loan guarantee program funded by the 2009 economic stimulus law. He also led efforts to develop a cutting-edge, alternative energy lab known as ARPA-E, or Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.
While tarnished by Solyndra, the loan program has had many successes, including huge solar projects in California and Arizona and wind farms in Oregon and Maine. The department also has boosted electric cars and nuclear power plants. Counting loans and guarantees to U.S. car makers and the nuclear industry, the program is supporting as many as 60,000 jobs and generating up to $40 billion in private investment, Chu said.
The ARPA-E project has led research in fields from electrofuels to batteries. "While it is too early to tell if we have home runs, there are a number of investments that have certainly rounded second base," Chu said in his farewell letter.
Chu also played a key role in the U.S. response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, as well as an Obama administration decision to kill a planned nuclear waste dump at Nevada's Yucca Mountain.
___
Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC
The inventory of listed downtown Chicago homes for sale continued to drop in the 4th quarter. There were 29.9% less such homes for sale compared to 4th quarter 2011. There were 2,229 downtown Chicago homes for sale vs. 3,179 a year earlier.
The drop inventory can be at least partially attributed to rising sales. The number of units sold was up significantly year over year for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters in 2012. The increase for the 4th quarter was 41%.
Downtown Chicago Homes For Sale 4th Qtr. 2009 - 4th Qtr. 2012
The median sale price was up 25%. Average days on market was down 19%. Pending sales were up 37%, so sales should do well in the 1st quarter of 2013.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DOWNTOWN CHICAGO HOME BUYERS
With a significantly lower inventory of downtown Chicago homes for sale you don?t have nearly the choices that you had a year ago. You won?t be able to negotiate as much since there aren?t as many sellers competing against each other. For more on the 25% median sale price increase see the next section.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DOWNTOWN CHICAGO HOME SELLERS
Before you get too excited about the 25% higher median sale price you should know that the increase in median sale price was partially due to the fact that there were slightly less bank-owned sales in the 4th quarter and a higher percent of homes sold were larger homes. Given that the downtown Chicago market appears to be forming a bottom, I don?t recommend selling unless: 1. you really need to or 2. you want to move up to a more expensive home. It?s probably come down more in value in the past few years than your current home. As always, if your home is priced right when it goes on market, it will sell in a reasonable amount of time.
Email Fran for more information on downtown Chicago homes for sale.
DOWNTOWN CHICAGO HOMES FOR SALE
Click below to see the downtown Chicago homes for sale in your desired price range. You can narrow the results by internal and external features. Pending sales are excluded.
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is putting an end to rumors that he's up for a Cabinet secretary position in the Obama administration.
Villaraigosa says in a statement Friday that he's "flattered and humbled" by the speculation, but that he is "firmly committed" to staying in Los Angeles and finishing his term. His term as mayor of the nation's second-largest city ends June 30.
Villaraigosa has been mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who announced his departure this week. Villaraigosa has pushed for increased rail service in Los Angeles and served as chairman of last year's Democratic National Convention.
He says he will be focused on his job as mayor until the final second of his second term.
FILE - In this May 15, 2012 file photo, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speaks in Bethesda, Md. The legal challenges over religious freedom and the birth control coverage requirement in President Barack Obama?s health care overhaul appear to be moving toward the U.S. Supreme Court. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed by faith-affiliated charities, hospitals and universities, against the mandate which requires employers to provide insurance that covers contraception for free. However, many for-profit business owners are also suing, claiming a violation of their religious beliefs. The religious lawsuits have largely stalled, as the Department of Health and Human Services tries to develop an accommodation for faith groups. However, no such offer will be made to individual business owners. And their lawsuits are yielding conflicting rulings in appeals courts around the country. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
FILE - In this May 15, 2012 file photo, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speaks in Bethesda, Md. The legal challenges over religious freedom and the birth control coverage requirement in President Barack Obama?s health care overhaul appear to be moving toward the U.S. Supreme Court. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed by faith-affiliated charities, hospitals and universities, against the mandate which requires employers to provide insurance that covers contraception for free. However, many for-profit business owners are also suing, claiming a violation of their religious beliefs. The religious lawsuits have largely stalled, as the Department of Health and Human Services tries to develop an accommodation for faith groups. However, no such offer will be made to individual business owners. And their lawsuits are yielding conflicting rulings in appeals courts around the country. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Facing a wave of lawsuits over what government can tell religious groups to do, the Obama administration is proposing a compromise for faith-based nonprofits that object to covering birth control in their employee health plans.
Some of the lawsuits appear headed for the Supreme Court, threatening another divisive legal battle over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, which requires most employers to cover birth control free of charge to female workers as a preventive service. The law exempted churches and other houses of worship, but religious charities, universities, hospitals and even some for-profit businesses have objected.
The government's new offer, in a proposed regulation, has two parts.
Administration officials said it would more simply define the religious organizations that are exempt from the requirement altogether. For example, a mosque whose food pantry serves the whole community would not have to comply.
For other religious employers, the proposal attempts to create a buffer between them and contraception coverage. Female employees would still have free access through insurers or a third party, but the employer would not have to arrange for the coverage or pay for it. Insurers would be reimbursed for any costs by a credit against fees owed the government.
It wasn't immediately clear whether the plan would satisfy the objections of Roman Catholic charities and other faith-affiliated nonprofits nationwide challenging the requirement.
Neither the Catholic Health Association, a trade group for hospitals, nor the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had an immediate reaction, saying the regulations were still being studied.
But the National Association of Evangelicals, which represents about 40 denominations and works with the administration on immigration and other issues, quickly rejected the rule. It said the change didn't create enough of a buffer between faith groups and birth control coverage.
"The Obama administration should have done the right thing and dropped the contraception mandate, or at least should have exempted all religious organizations," said Leith Anderson, the association's president.
Kyle Duncan, general counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing religious nonprofits and businesses in lawsuits, said many of his clients will still have serious concerns.
"This is a moral decision for them," Duncan said. "Why doesn't the government just exempt them?"
Some women's advocates were pleased.
"The important thing for us is that women employees can count on getting insurance that meets their needs, even if they're working for a religiously affiliated employer," said Cindy Pearson, executive director of the National Women's Health Network.
Policy analyst Sarah Lipton-Lubet of the American Civil Liberties Union said the rule appeared to meet the ACLU's goal of providing "seamless coverage."
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement that the compromise would provide "women across the nation with coverage of recommended preventive care at no cost, while respecting religious concerns."
The birth-control rule, first introduced a year ago, became an election issue, with some advocates for women praising the mandate as a victory but some religious leaders decrying it as an attack on faith groups.
The health care law requires most employers, including faith-affiliated hospitals and nonprofits, to provide preventive care at no charge to employees. Scientific advisers to the government recommended that artificial contraception, including sterilization, be included in a group of services for women. The goal, in part, is to help women space out pregnancies to promote health.
Under the original rule, only those religious groups that primarily employ and serve people of their own faith ? such as churches ? were exempt. But other religiously affiliated groups, such as church-affiliated universities, Catholic Charities and hospitals, were told they had to comply.
Catholic bishops, evangelicals and some religious leaders who have generally been supportive of Obama's policies lobbied fiercely for a broader exemption. The Catholic Church prohibits the use of artificial contraception. Evangelicals generally accept the use of birth control, but some object to specific methods such as the morning-after contraceptive pill, which they argue is tantamount to abortion, and is covered by the policy.
Obama had promised to change the birth control requirement so insurance companies ? and not faith-affiliated employers ? would pay for the coverage, but religious leaders said more changes were needed to make the plan work.
Since then, more than 40 lawsuits have been filed by religious nonprofits and secular for-profit businesses contending the mandate violates their religious beliefs. As expected, this latest regulation does not provide any accommodation for individual business owners who have religious objections to the rule.
Questions remain about how the services ultimately will be funded. The Health and Human Services Department has not tallied an overall cost for the plan, according to Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, an HHS deputy policy director.
However, in its new version of the rule, the department argues that the change won't impose new costs on insurers because it will save them money "from improvements in women's health and fewer child births."
The latest version of the mandate is now subject to a 60-day public comment period. The overall mandate is to take effect for religious nonprofits in August.
___
Zoll reported from New York. Associated Press writer David Crary in New York contributed.
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Public release date: 4-Feb-2013
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