Nuns’ Health Plans Under Legal Pressure in Two States

Two blue states are pushing to mandate that nuns’ health plans provide contraceptive coverage.

The Beckett Fund for Religious Freedom has petitioned the Court of Appeals to block a recent ruling compelling the Little Sisters of the Poor to include contraceptives in their healthcare plan, according to a press release. A federal judge, appointed by President Obama, ruled that by August 2025, these Catholic nuns need to comply with mandates in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, or face substantial fines.

“For 15 years, government officials have stepped into the Little Sisters’ ring and been beaten every time,” said Beckett. Mark Rienzi, the lead attorney for the Little Sisters, expressed confidence following the ruling: “You’d think Pennsylvania and New Jersey would know better by now, but some bureaucrats are hungry for punishment. We’re confident that the court will deliver yet another victory to protect the Little Sisters’ work serving the most vulnerable.”

During the Obama administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services enforced a policy that required most employers’ health plans to cover contraceptives as part of the Affordable Care Act. However, the Little Sisters, a religious group, were not granted exceptions. Following a Supreme Court decision in 2016, Pennsylvania and New Jersey launched a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s HHS to overturn the Little Sisters’ exemption, which the Supreme Court supported in 2020.

“For nearly 200 years, we have welcomed poor and dying seniors into our homes. As our senior population continues to grow rapidly, we cannot allow government lawsuits to derail our mission,” stated Lorraine Marie Maguire, a mother of the Little Sisters. She added, “Pennsylvania and New Jersey can continue to fight if they want. All we want is to continue to serve.”

Becket describes itself as “a public interest legal and educational institution with a mission to protect the free expression of all faiths.” It is named after Saint Thomas Becket, an archbishop killed after refusing to let the king interfere in Church matters. The organization has several notable victories at the Supreme Court, including cases like Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014) and Agudas Israel v. Cuomo (2021).