Can a corporation claim to have religious beliefs and, if so, does it violate those beliefs to force the business to include contraceptive coverage in the health insurance it provides its employees? The U.S. Supreme Court has just granted review in two cases on the issue: Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Sebelius and Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores. The cases present fascinating legal questions, but the answer should be clear: Requiring insurance coverage to pay for contraceptives does not violate the law.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act required that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services promulgate regulations calling for insurers to provide coverage for preventative medical care. These regulations mandate that employers include payments for contraceptives in their insurance coverage. The regulations have exceptions for religious institutions, so the Catholic Church or a Catholic university would not need to provide this coverage in their insurance plans.
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