A federal judge in Minneapolis ruled Monday that the owner of Hastings Ford and Hastings Chrysler Center does not have to pay for health insurance coverage for certain contraceptives such as Plan B, ella emergency contraceptive and certain kinds of IUDs.
Douglas Erickson said in a lawsuit that contraceptives that prevent a fertilized egg from being implanted in a woman's uterus violate his belief that life begins at conception. Erickson's businesses have 63 full-time employees and about 15 part-timers.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson is the latest in a string of decisions involving family-owned businesses that have sued to become exempt from a portion of the federal Affordable Care Act because of their religious beliefs.
The lawsuits followed a decision in June by the U.S. Supreme Court that said that requiring Hobby Lobby and other small companies to pay for contraception violated a federal law protecting religious freedom.
"What Doug has objected to is being coerced by his government to fund and participate in those types of chemicals or drugs that would make the development of human life impossible," said Jeremy Dys, one of his attorneys. "He has the right to be able to engage in business according to his faith."
Dys said Erickson has no issues with providing coverage for contraceptives that prevent an egg from being fertilized.
The next step, the attorney said, is persuading the health insurer to provide a plan that excludes those drugs. If an insurer refuses, Dys said, Erickson could file another lawsuit.
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and North and South Dakota issued a statement Tuesday after the ruling became public.
