Supreme Court Reassesses Religious Exemption in New York Abortion Coverage Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered the New York Court of Appeals to reconsider a decision upholding a regulation requiring employer-sponsored health plans to cover abortions. The decision comes after a June ruling highlighting religious rights, prompting a fresh evaluation of religious exemptions for organizations with broader purposes.
The U.S. Supreme Court has prompted a reassessment of a New York state regulation mandating employer-sponsored health insurance plans to include abortion coverage, responding to a challenge by the Catholic Diocese of Albany.
By dismissing a 2024 New York Court of Appeals decision, the Supreme Court has instructed the lower court to review the case again, considering a June ruling that supported a religious exemption bid in Wisconsin. Both states' regulations provide exemptions for religious employers primarily serving their faith members.
The diocese argues New York's exemption is insufficient for organizations serving broader communities. Previous legal battles cited similar cases, including a Philadelphia foster care case from 2021, emphasizing evolving interpretations of religious rights under constitutional protections.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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