Under the Affordable Care Act, employers must provide health insurance policies that cover preventive services for women, including contraception and sterilization. The administration had already crafted a compromise for religious-affiliated nonprofits that allows them to “self-certify” to their insurance carriers in a form that they object, on religious grounds, to providing contraception coverage. But various nonprofits, including Wheaton, said the act of signing the form also infringed on their religious rights.

The Supreme Court gave Wheaton College a temporary exemption from birth control coverage required by President Barack Obama’s health reform law, days after ruling that for-profit employers can opt out for religious reasons.

The court said on Thursday in a split 6-3 decision by the justices that Wheaton College, which has objected on religious grounds, did not have to comply with the government compromise process for nonprofit groups with religious affiliations while litigation continues, an unsigned order showed.

On Monday, the court said on a 5-4 vote that closely held for-profit corporations could obtain an exemption based on the religious beliefs of their owners. By granting Wheaton College’s request, the court indicated that its decision does not dictate the outcome of litigation involving dozens of nonprofit groups.

Under the Affordable Care Act, employers must provide health insurance policies that cover preventive services for women, including contraception and sterilization.

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