Skyline Wesleyan Church v. California Department of Managed Health Care

Summary

Skyline Wesleyan Church in the San Diego area, is very strongly opposed to abortion. But now, the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) is requiring his church’s health insurance policy to provide coverage for elective abortions.

In August 2014, the DMHC sent letters to all insurance providers in California mandating that the insurance policies they provide cover elective abortions. The DMHC went about this quietly without passing a new regulation or allowing for public input. Skyline’s health insurance policy was changed as a result of the mandate, and it is now unable to offer its employees a health insurance policy that is consistent with its views on protecting human life. In order to retain its right to not pay for abortions, Skyline Church had no choice but to sue.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) represents Skyline Church, which could be faced with the decision to pay for abortions or forego health insurance for its employees, subjecting it to crippling penalties and fines. ADF is seeking to protect Skyline Church and all churches from government mandates that violate their sincerely held religious beliefs, in particular when they are forced to pay for ending human life.