Nonreligious anti-abortion organizations are not exempt from the Affordable Care Act's mandate that their health insurers cover birth control in employees' insurance plans, a federal appeals court has ruled.

On Aug. 4, a split three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that secular groups—even if their stance on abortion aligns with ­religious groups—are not entitled to religious exemption from the contraceptive mandate in the ACA, commonly known as Obamacare.

The court's ruling affirms a federal judge's dismissal of a challenge to the mandate under the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution filed by Real Alternatives Inc., which describes itself as a “life-affirming” pregnancy-support ­organization not affiliated with any ­religious body.