The Supreme Court issued an order granting religious organizations in New York the opportunity to challenge a state regulation mandating health insurance plans to cover abortions.
The court instructed a New York court to reexamine whether religious employers should be excluded from the regulation.
Driving the news: The case centers around religious groups that serve and employ individuals regardless of their beliefs not qualifying for an exemption provided to those who primarily employ and serve people of their faith.
- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and other church groups have challenged the rule.
The big picture: This decision marks the second time the case has been sent back to New York courts, with the state’s Court of Appeals having previously upheld the regulation.
- The Supreme Court’s ruling comes after a similar case involving a Catholic charity in Wisconsin that was found to have been discriminated against by being forced to pay state unemployment taxes.
