Demonstrators protested outside the Supreme Court after its decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores in June 2014. Credit: Doug Mills/The New York Times
by Robert Pear
The Obama administration issued new rules on Friday that allow closely held for-profit corporations like Hobby Lobby Stores to opt out of providing women with insurance coverage for contraceptives if the companies have religious objections.
Women enrolled in such health plans would still be able to get birth control at no cost, the administration said. Insurers would pay for contraceptive services, but the payments would be separate from the employer’s health plan.
The rules came in response to a decision by the Supreme Court in June 2014. In that case, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, the court said that requiring family-owned corporations to pay for coverage of contraception under the Affordable Care Act violated a federal law protecting religious freedom.
The administration had argued against that conclusion, saying there was no precedent for granting “a religious exemption” to commercial enterprises like the Hobby Lobby craft stores.
But under the rules issued by the administration on Friday, certain for-profit businesses will be able to obtain an accommodation like the one already available to nonprofit religious groups, including Roman Catholic universities, hospitals and charities that object to covering the costs of contraceptives.
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