Dordt College v. Burwell, No. 14-2726 (8th Cir. 2015)
Annotate this CaseThe Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor (DOL), and Treasury appealed a preliminary injunction that enjoins the government from enforcing the contraceptive mandate provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), 42 U.S.C. 300gg-13(a)(4), and its implementing regulations against nonprofit religious organizations that offer healthcare coverage to their employees. The district court’s order also enjoined the government from enforcing the challenged provisions against “any insurance provider (including insurance issuers and third-party administrators) offering health insurance to” the organizations. The Eighth Circuit affirmed, stating that by coercing the organizations to participate in the contraceptive mandate and accommodation process under threat ofsevere monetary penalty, the government has substantially burdened their exercise of religion. Even assuming that the government’s interests in safeguarding public health and ensuring equal access to health care for women are compelling,the contraceptive mandate and accommodation process likely are not the least restrictive means of furthering those interests.
Court Description: Wollman, Author, with Colloton and Benton, Circuit Judges] Civil case - Affordable Care Act. For a fuller discussion of the issues presented in this case, see No. 14-1507 Sharpe Holdings v. HHS, issued this date. The district court did not err in granting the plaintiffs' motion for injunctive relief to prevent the government agencies named as defendants from enforcing the contraceptive mandate or accommodation regulations against them; even assuming the government's interests in safeguarding public health and insuring equal access to health care for women are compelling, the contraceptive mandate and accommodation process are not the least restrictive means of furthering those interests.
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