Christian Headlines Blog Christian Blog and Commentary

Act now to share the love of Christ in the Middle East

Obama Administration Forced to Craft New Birth Control Option for Religious Nonprofits

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

    More
  • Updated Jul 24, 2014

Government officials are working on a plan that will allow religious nonprofits to opt out of paying for contraceptives and abortifacients in their healthcare plans.

White House officials said this week that the plan is still in development and they couldn’t detail it just yet.

The new process will be another way for nonprofit groups to opt out and should be available “within a month,” according to reports.

Just a few weeks ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 vote that Wheaton College in Illinois is not required to cover emergency contraceptives. The ruling will allow a temporary relief from the health care mandate while the case is pending, meaning the college cannot be fined for opting to not cover those contraceptives.

The college also maintains that completing an EBSA Form 700 that would allow a third party to cover party still makes the college part of providing those contraceptives. The college has declined to use the form on religious objections.

The White House told the AP that the federal government "will release new regulations within one month that establish an alternative way for religious groups to indicate their objection, without filling out the form. Form 700 will remain an option for groups willing to use it."

Publication Date: July 24, 2014