On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments from a Catholic charity and various other religious organizations that have objections to the contraception mandate under the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act.
The Catholic charity -- called the Little Sisters of the Poor -- and other religious organizations are fighting for automatic exemption that is granted for houses of worship, like churches, synagogues, and mosques. These religious institutions can opt out of the contraceptive mandate by informing the government of their objections. In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that owners who opposes the mandate based on religious convictions did not have to offer birth control to their employees.
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department offered the Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious organizations an exemption to the mandate, allowing employers to opt out by filing a form that would prompt a third-party to provide the contraceptives instead. The religious organizations say, however, that any involvement, even filing a form, involves them in the process of providing the contraceptives to which they are opposed.
The court’s four liberal justices argued that the government has sufficiently accommodated for the groups in allowing them to opt out of providing coverage by filing a form with the government.
On the other hand, the court’s four conservatives sided with the religious groups, asserting that the exemption process burdens their religious rights.
Seven out of eight appellate courts have sided with the government. If the court’s ruling is a 4-4 tie, the lower court rulings will be left in place.
