Religious Freedom and/or Contraception Coverage: Time to Shelve the Disagreement

Abstract

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed by Congress, signed into law by President Obama in March 2010 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2012 has focused renewed attention on health insurance, what services and benefits are covered by health care insurance, and who is responsible for offering or purchasing insurance. The extension of contraception coverage as required by the law has captured the attention of some members of Congress, the media, the Republican candidates for U.S. Presidency, media personalities, some state legislatures, and some religious leaders. Recently, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a new proposal designed to dissuade the fears of religious affiliated organizations. This article summarizes contraception equity practices in the states and suggests that the employer provided insurance benefit practices of sectarian nonprofit employers be framed as an important health and social equity issue.