Originally published at National Catholic Register
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a notice in the Federal Register stating that it has opted to withdraw rule changes to the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate.
The Little Sisters of the Poor welcomed a Christmas blessing earlier this week that could help them end their near-14-year-religious-liberty battle with the U.S. government.
On Monday afternoon, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a notice in the Federal Register stating that it has opted to withdraw rule changes to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraception mandate.
Proposed by the Biden administration last year, the rule changes would have barred the nuns and other religious organizations from claiming exemptions to the ACA requirement that employers provide abortion and contraception coverage in their employee health plans.
HHS stated that it decided to withdraw the Biden administration’s proposed rules so the government could “focus their time and resources on matters other than finalizing these rules.” The health agency further cited extensive comments it received on the proposed changes as reasons to pump the brakes on imposing the alterations.
The notice adds that “should the departments decide in the future that it is a priority to
