College Secures U.S. Supreme Court’s Temporary Exemption on Obamacare Birth Control, Reports Reuters

By Lawrence Hurley

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court has granted Wheaton College, a Christian institution in Illinois, a temporary exemption from the birth control coverage mandate established by the Affordable Care Act. This decision comes shortly after the Court ruled that for-profit companies could opt out of the requirement for religious reasons.

In a narrow 6-3 decision, the Court stated that Wheaton College, which has raised objections on religious grounds, is not required to follow the government’s compromise process intended for non-profit organizations with religious ties while legal proceedings are ongoing.

Earlier in the week, the Court voted 5-4 to affirm that closely held for-profit companies can receive exemptions based on the religious beliefs of their owners. This latest ruling for Wheaton College suggests that the Court’s stance does not determine the outcomes in cases involving numerous non-profit organizations.

Under the Affordable Care Act, employers are mandated to provide health insurance plans that include preventive services for women, such as contraception and sterilization. In response to concerns from religious-affiliated non-profits, the administration had proposed a compromise allowing these organizations to "self-certify" their objections to contraception coverage in a form submitted to their insurance providers. However, several groups, including Wheaton, argued that signing this form still violated their religious rights.

The Court’s order specified that Wheaton College could instead send a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expressing its religious objections. Employers would still have access to contraceptive coverage through their health plans, according to the Court’s ruling.

A similar decision was made in January regarding a case involving an order of Roman Catholic nuns known as the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor expressed dissent, joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. She argued that the college had not fulfilled the necessary criteria for an injunction, stating that merely believing one’s religious beliefs are significantly burdened—regardless of the sincerity of those beliefs—does not substantiate such claims.

The unsigned order clarified that the Court’s decision should not be interpreted as an indication of its views on the fundamental issues at play.