Ryan: Obama revised birth-control rule an 'accounting trick'

By Meghashyam Mali - 02/12/12 12:14 PM ET

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) blasted President Obama’s changes to an administration ruling forcing religiously affiliated organizations to cover contraceptives in their health plans as a “trick.”

“It's a distinction without a difference. It's really an accounting trick,” said the Republican lawmaker on ABC’s This Week on Sunday.

“It forces the insurance company that they have to pay to do the coverage. So instead of making the institution itself, it reinforces the insurer,” Ryan said. “And a lot of these Catholic institutions are self-insured, and all insurers under this rule must provide these mandated benefits.”

“It's not a compromise. The president's doubled down,” he added.

The administration faced strong criticism from the Catholic Church, social-conservatives and many Catholic Democrats after new rules were announced requiring all insurance plans, even those by faith-based institutions including hospitals and universities to cover birth control under their healthcare plans.

The White House on Friday unveiled what they called an "accommodation" which would allow contraceptive treatments to be available and free but shift the cost for those services from the faith-based employer to the employer's healthcare plan insurer.

The revised ruling however has also been rejected by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops which spearheaded the initial opposition and from many Republicans.

On Sunday, Ryan repeated calls for the administration to rescind the ruling.

“If this is what the president's willing to do in a tough election year, imagine what he will do in implementing the rest of his health care law after an election,” he said.