Some Feared Flood Of Religious Exemptions From ACA, But Only A Sprinkle Has Materialized
Two years after the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling, only 52 companies or nonprofit organizations have told the government they plan to opt out of Obamacare’s requirement to cover birth control because it violates their religious beliefs.
Politico:
Two Years Later, Few Hobby Lobby Copycats Emerge
Obamacare supporters warned two years ago that if the Supreme Court allowed the owners of Hobby Lobby craft stores to eliminate birth control coverage because of their religious beliefs, others would rush to follow — and not just to eliminate contraceptives, but also, potentially, treatments like blood transfusions and vaccines. Those fears haven’t been borne out. (Haberkorn, 10/11)
In other news from the Supreme Court —
The Associated Press:
Justices Won't Hear Dispute Over Access To Health Records
The Supreme Court won't hear a dispute between West Virginia health officials and a patient advocacy group over access to medical records. The justices on Tuesday let stand a state court ruling that said federal laws protecting health record privacy don't prevent Legal Aid of West Virginia from reviewing patient files at the state's two psychiatric hospitals. (10/11)