Hobby Lobby Wins Its Supreme Court Case Regarding Contraceptive Mandate of Obamacare

Hobby Lobby wins its Supreme Court case regarding that part of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) that would have allowed the company to fully abide by the Obamacare's contraceptive coverage, as the Supreme Court has just handed its decision: a closely-held company can be exempt from the contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Read more

The justices' 5-4 decision Monday is the first time that the high court has ruled that profit-seeking businesses can hold religious views under federal law. And it means the Obama administration must search for a different way of providing free contraception to women who are covered under objecting companies' health insurance plans. Read more at

Hobby Lobby, a diversity leader in the arts and crafts industry, citing religious beliefs, sought exemption from that part of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare which requires employers to provide for devices or medications which the company considers as preventing successful pregnancies.

But the majority opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, strikes a significant balance in the way it has decided the case, and, argues Tom Goldstein of www.scotusblog.com, makes explicit that companies cannot use the decision to avoid laws that prohibit discrimination. This is a significant result for gays and lesbians, as many religious conservatives had looked to this case for support as laws recognizing gay marriage, for instance, proliferate. See more here