Posted: July 9, 2020 Contributor: Maddie Quinn

Supreme Court Allows Employers to Opt-Out of Covering Birth Control

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court made a decision to uphold a Trump-era regulation that allows employers to limit women’s access to birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act. In practice, this means your job can now deny you birth control due to religious or moral objections. The impact of this decision has the potential to be lasting and widespread—the New York Times reports as many as 126,000 women could lose contraceptive coverage from their employers.

Seven-Year Fight to Limit Contraceptive Access

This issue isn’t new. The 7-to-2 decision was another step in a seven-year fight of litigation over the “contraception mandate,” which was an Obama-era initiative that required most employers to provide free coverage for contraception. The Trump administration has fought to limit this initiative over the past seven years.

This decision was also part of a broader examination of the relationship between church and state under Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in the last 15 years. Unsurprisingly, the court’s conservative majority has almost always sided with religious groups.

Long-Term Impact

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, offered her dissenting opinion. 

“In accommodating claims of religious freedom, this court has taken a balanced approach, one that does not allow the religious beliefs of some to overwhelm the rights and interests of others who do not share those beliefs,” she wrote. “Today, for the first time, the court casts totally aside countervailing rights and interests in its zeal to secure religious rights to the nth degree.”

Justice Ginsburg also noted that the ruling could disproportionately affect poorer women, effectively causing them to use less effective methods or forgo contraception altogether. 

Affordable Birth Control Without Insurance

If this Supreme Court decision affects you personally, we are here to help. We started PRJKT RUBY with the goal to provide affordable access to birth control for everyone, and we’re keeping our promise. For those who need it, PRJKT RUBY offers birth control for $20 per month—no insurance required. This includes a free online doctor’s visit and free shipping, as well as the option for auto-refill. Get started by completing a quick online medical questionnaire. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or use our live chat. 

Sources: The New York Times, In Style Magazine