SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE FOR RELIGIOUS GROUPS

On Nov. 6, 2015, the Supreme Court agreed to review the ACA’s requirement that health plans provide contraceptive coverage to their employees and students without cost-sharing and how it applies to nonprofit religious organizations. Seven nonprofit organizations will challenge the rule, making it the second time in three years that the issue has come before the court.

Although the current law states that nonprofits and private companies can opt out of the requirement, religious nonprofits say that simply writing a letter or completing a form makes them morally complicit in providing the coverage. The new challenge asks the Supreme Court to allow nonprofit groups to receive the same blanket exclusion as houses of worship and religious organizations.

Whatever the Supreme Court decides, it's not likely to end the dispute. A ruling for nonprofits could prompt for-profit corporations to seek the same relief.