---
title: "Kaiser: Majority of Americans back health law mandate on contraceptive coverage"
description: "The Supreme Court recently heard arguments on two challenges to the health care law’s mandate that requires many employers to include contraceptive coverage in their health insurance plans, a mandate that has 61% public support. "
date: "2014-04-29"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Drake"
    job_title: "Former Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-drake/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/04/29/kaiser-majorities-of-americans-back-health-law-mandate-on-contraceptive-coverage/"
categories:
  - "Employee Benefits"
  - "Health Care"
  - "Religion & Politics"
---

# Kaiser: Majority of Americans back health law mandate on contraceptive coverage

The Supreme Court recently heard arguments on [two challenges](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2014/03/20/health-care-laws-contraception-mandate-reaches-the-supreme-court/) to the health care law’s mandate that requires many employers to include contraceptive coverage in their health insurance plans. But whatever the justices decide, the mandate has the support of a majority of the public, according to a [Kaiser Health Tracking Poll](http://kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-april-2014/) released today.

Over four-in-ten (44%) Americans said they followed news coverage of the cases “very” or “fairly closely,” which was a [higher percentage](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/04/10/what-kinds-of-supreme-court-cases-interest-americans-not-campaign-finance/) than some other issues that have come before the court in Pew Research’s own polling.

The controversy over the contraceptive mandate [had first erupted](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/02/01/the-contraception-mandate-and-religious-liberty/) over whether certain religious organizations should be exempted from it. But the two cases argued before the court in late March — [*Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby*](http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/sebelius-v-hobby-lobby-stores-inc/) and [*Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius*](http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/conestoga-wood-specialties-corp-v-sebelius/) — involved challenges by [for-profit businesses](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2014/03/20/health-care-laws-contraception-mandate-reaches-the-supreme-court/) whose owners objected to the mandate on religious grounds.

Kaiser found that the public supports the requirement that private health plans cover prescription birth control by nearly two-to-one. Women, younger adults, Democrats and independents are among the groups most likely to back the mandate.

[![Post-Graduates Views on Supreme Court Rulings](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/07/FT_Graduates.Court_.png?w=156)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/07/FT_Graduates.Court_.png)

[![Contraceptive Mandate Support](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2014/04/FT_Contraceptive_Three.jpg)](http://kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-april-2014/)
*Credit: Kaiser Health Tracking Poll, April 2014*

On the specific question of whether for-profit companies that have religious objections to providing the coverage should have to do so, the public, by a 55% to 40% margin, said they should be required to cover birth control even if it violates their owners’ religious beliefs.

[![Post-Graduates Views on Supreme Court Rulings](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/07/FT_Graduates.Court_.png?w=156)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/07/FT_Graduates.Court_.png)

[![For-Profit Companies and the Contraceptive Mandate](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2014/04/FT_Contraceptive_Four.jpg)](http://kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-april-2014/)
*Credit: Kaiser Health Tracking Poll, April 2014*