Federal court opens path for Oregon employers to bypass abortion and contraception coverage mandates

Oregon Right to Life can now avoid the requirement to provide insurance coverage for abortions and contraceptives. This follows a Tuesday ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Mustafa Kasubhai, who found that the state's Reproductive Health Equity Act violates the Constitutional rights of the nonprofit. The Act, passed in 2017, mandates that health insurance companies cannot impose deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, or any other cost-sharing requirements on contraceptives, abortions, and screenings for sexually transmitted infections. While the law provides exemptions for employers whose religious beliefs prohibit such coverage, Oregon Right to Life had been denied that exemption. The nonprofit sued in 2023, arguing the law violated its First Amendment rights. Judge Kasubhai's ruling means the Reproductive Health Equity Act cannot be applied to Oregon Right to Life.