Dive Brief:
- The Little Sisters of the Poor is taking its fight over contraception all the way to the Supreme Court.
- The organization is asking the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of a ruling that allows its employees to obtain birth control from a third party under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- Attorneys are claiming the current ruling violates the organization's right to religious freedom.
Dive Insight:
In last year's Hobby Lobby case, The Supreme Court ruled that the ACA is set up to accomodate religious organizations by allowing them to seek exemption from having to actually provide contraception to their employees. The Little Sisters of the Poor (an order of nuns) and other religious organizations believe the law is inadequate because their employees are still afforded birth control coverage by third parties, which they say is not compatable with their religious beliefs.
Five federal appelate courts have denied similar challenges to the healthcare law, and three other organizations have already requested that the Supreme Court hear their appeals. The court will not make a decision as to whether or not it will hear any of the appeals until this fall.
The final decision could end up having a huge impact on access to birth control by women who are emplolyed by religious organizations nationwide.