SCOTUS declines to rule on ObamaCare contraceptive mandate challenge


The Supreme Court declined Monday to rule on a challenge to ObamaCare's contraceptive mandate from religious groups, instead throwing out previous rulings in favor of the Obama administration and sending the case back down to the lower courts, Reuters reports.
The surprise move is a good sign for the groups, which are dissatisfied with the Obama administration's workaround to providing contraceptive care to employees of companies that object to the health-care law's mandate on faith-based grounds. They argued that filling out the letter objecting to contraceptive coverage goes against their faith, as it allows employees to receive contraceptive coverage from insurers.
The Supreme Court "expresses no view on the merits of the cases," the justices wrote in a unanimous decision. The lower courts, Talking Points Memo reports, will look at implementing alternative accommodation to the contraceptive mandate.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Vox's Sarah Kliff best summed up the Supreme Court's move. Julie Kliegman
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
-
A running list of Trump's conflicts of interest
In Depth A potential Qatari plane is the latest in a series of problematic connections
-
The ins and outs of experiencing the best of travel by Amtrak
The Week Recommends The journey is slower, but the scenery is stunning
-
Leo XIV: What an American pope can teach America
Feature Chicago-born Bob Prevost makes history by becoming the first American pope
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
-
RFK Jr. offers alternative remedies as measles spreads
Speed Read Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes unsupported claims about containing the spread as vaccine skepticism grows
-
Texas outbreak brings 1st US measles death since 2015
Speed read The outbreak is concentrated in a 'close-knit, undervaccinated' Mennonite community in rural Gaines County
-
Mystery illness spreading in Congo rapidly kills dozens
Speed Read The World Health Organization said 53 people have died in an outbreak that originated in a village where three children ate a bat carcass