Democrats Encourage Obama to Not Widen Exemption from Contraceptive Coverage Mandate for Health Insurance Plans

The New York Times: Democrats Urge Obama to Protect Contraceptive Coverage in Health Plans, by Robert Pear:

WASHINGTON — A dispute has erupted between President Obama and Democrats in Congress over a proposal to broaden the exemption from new rules that require health insurance plans to cover contraceptives for women free of charge.

The National Academy of Sciences recommended that the government adopt such a requirement. And Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services, announced in August that she had done so.

But after protests by Roman Catholic bishops, charities, schools and universities, the White House is considering a change that would grant a broad exemption to health plans sponsored by employers who object to such coverage for moral and religious reasons. . . .