WHEATON - DuPage County's Wheaton College objected to filling out a form mandated in ObamaCare that would push contraceptive coverage onto their third party insurers, and in a decision that received little notice compared to Monday's Hobby Lobby decision, Wheaton College won a temporary victory Thursday.
As a way out of paying for contraceptives, the Obama Administration said faith-affiliated charities, colleges and hospitals must fill out the document known as Form 700 that enables their insurers or third-party administrators to take on the responsibility of paying for the birth control. If the form is filled out, the employer does not have to arrange the coverage or pay for it. Insurers get reimbursed by the government through credits against fees owed under other provisions of the health care law.
Wheaton and dozens of other nonprofits sued over the form, saying it violates their religious beliefs because it forces them to participate in a system to subsidize and distribute the contraception.
The court said it was not ultimately deciding the issue Thursday and noted that it is likely to take up the nonprofits' cases at some point.
For now, though, it said in an unsigned opinion that the letter to HHS is sufficient and that the government can rely on the letter to ensure that women covered by Wheaton's insurance can obtain emergency contraception at no cost.
For now, though, it said in an unsigned opinion that the letter to HHS is sufficient and that the government can rely on the letter to ensure that women covered by Wheaton's insurance can obtain emergency contraception at no cost.
