Appeals court temporarily blocks contraception mandate for Missouri business owner

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a preliminary injunction from the rule for Frank O'Brien and his company -- which is the fourth private business to secure such a temporary order.

The Associated Press: Ruling Temporarily Blocks Contraception Mandate
A federal appeals court has issued an order temporarily blocking implementation of the contraception mandate of the federal health care law for a Missouri business owner. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday on behalf of Frank O'Brien and his company, O'Brien Industrial Holdings LLC of St. Louis (Salter, 11/29).

CQ HealthBeat: Fourth Private Business Obtains Injunction Against Birth Control Rule
A federal appeals court has issued a temporary injunction to a Missouri company blocking enforcement of a rule requiring contraceptive coverage in workers' health insurance policies. This makes the fourth private business to secure a temporary order against the Department of Health and Human Services rule, and lawyers for the company said it was the first decision from an appeals court. Other injunctions have been obtained by a Bible publisher in Illinois, a supply company in Michigan and a heating and cooling company in Colorado. But the largest concern to challenge the rule -- the Hobby Lobby chain of craft stores -- was turned down in its attempt to obtain an injunction in an Oklahoma federal court. Hobby Lobby has since appealed (Norman, 11/29).

St. Louis Beacon: Federal Appeals Court Here Resurrects Battle Against ACA Mandate On Contraceptive Coverage
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., is lauding a decision by the federal 8^th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in St. Louis, that is temporarily blocking enforcement of a provision of the Affordable Care Act requiring employer-provided insurance to cover contraception. The 8^th Circuit voted to delay the provision while St. Louis businessman Frank R. O'Brien continues his court fight against the requirement. O'Brien, a Catholic, contends that it would violate his religious beliefs to provide such coverage for his 87 employees (Mannies, 11/29).