On 6 November, the American Supreme Court agreed to “focus during its annual session on the rights of religious institutions who refuse to finance contraception for their employees, as provided for in the health insurance legislation proposed by President Obama”[1]. The hearing is scheduled for March 2016, before the nine Supreme Court judges who are “traditionally very divided on the subject”.
This “burning question (…) opposes religious freedom and the right of women to also benefit from contraception”.The request has been put forward by seven non-profit-making religious organisations that “ask to be completely excluded from the system”(cf. Gènéthique du 27 juillet 2015). The law already provides for an “exemption in the case of employers objecting to finance methods of contraception”but the approach “involves religious institutions in an act that is basically contrary to their belief”.
[1] Note Gènéthique: According to the principles of Obamacare, which came into force in 2010, employers must provide employees with sickness cover including access to abortion and contraception.
AFP (6/11/2015)