Catholic Nuns In Denver Fight Contraception Mandate

DENVER (CBS4) - A small group of Catholic nuns in Denver is taking on Washington and the Affordable Care Act.

The Supreme Court granted a temporary injunction to the nuns shielding them from having to provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plans.

In 2011 birth control coverage was first mentioned as part of the Affordable Care Act.

Religious groups immediately fought against a contraception mandate.

The white house eventually offered a compromise.

"The insurance company, not the hospital, not the charity, will be required to reach out to the woman and offer her contraceptive coverage free of charge," said President Barrack Obama in Feb. 2012.

However, Catholic affiliated groups went to court.

In the eleventh hour Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor granted a temporary exemption to the Little Sisters of the Poor in Denver.

In a statement Mother Maria Christine Lynch said "we are very grateful to Sonia Sotomayor. This is a temporary injunction so this is very preliminary."

She went on to say, "it is important that we continue to cover our employees who qualify for health insurance with the exception of the contraceptive coverage requirements under the affordable care act. These go against our deeply held religious beliefs."

The attorney for the sisters sees this choice under the health care law.

"Follow your faith or pay millions of dollars in fines," said Daniel Blomberg from the Becket Fund For Religious Liberty.

Women's rights groups expect the law to be upheld.

"Having access to contraception is a fundamental health issue for individual women," said Marcia Greenberger from the National Women's Law Center.

In addition to the nuns, a number of other religious groups have challenged the health care law.

Injunctions have already been ordered in 18 similar cases.