Florida firm gets religious reprieve from health law's contraception coverage rule; W.Va. auto dealer seeks relief

Jun 28 2013

An update on employers' legal challenges to the provisions requiring contraceptive coverage.

Tampa Bay Times: Largo Business Challenging U.S. Health Care Law Gets Religious Reprieve
A Largo high-tech engineering firm doesn't have to offer emergency contraception under its medical plan while its case challenging part of the federal health care law is pending in court, a judge said this week. Beckwith Electric Co. is owned by Thomas Beckwith, a devout Southern Baptist who believes emergency contraceptives are immoral and amount to "killing innocent human life." ... Because its insurance plan was up for renewal this month, Beckwith could have been required to start covering the contraceptives while the case was under review. U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich granted Beckwith a reprieve, saying the company may be due religious protections under federal law (Tillman, 6/26).

The Associated Press: W. Va. Auto Dealer Seeks Relief From Health Rule
A West Virginia auto dealer has gone to court to block the federal government from requiring his business to provide insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives. Joe Holland contends that the requirement will force him and his dealership, Joe Holland Chevrolet in South Charleston, to violate their religious beliefs (6/27).