Wheaton College ends student health coverage to protest birth control mandate

Addressing the decision in an online discussion with Wheaton students, Paul Chelsen, Wheaton’s vice president of student development, said the move was tragic but necessary to defend religious freedom.

“What really breaks my heart is that there are real people that are affected by our decision,” said Chelsen in a recording of the discussion acquired by the Tribune. “But if we don’t win this case, the implications down the road in terms of what the government will tell us what we can and cannot do will be potentially more significant.”

HHS lets some plan sponsors get exemptions from the mandate, but those sponsors must notify HHS of decisions not to comply with the mandate. HHS officials have said that HHS will then arrange for access to birth control benefits for the affected plan enrollees.

While the arrangement lets groups opposed to birth control to opt out of providing the benefit, Wheaton objected to the requirement that it notify the government of its objections. A plan sponsor should not have to apply to enter into another legal framework, the school argued. A lawyer for Wheaton told the Tribune that the college does not want any part of an insurance plan that would provide services it finds morally reprehensible.

Surveys have shown that most Americans support requiring insurance policies to cover the full cost of birth control.

See also: Court: Religious groups must comply with contraception opt-out rule