A federal judge in Texas has ruled that a provision of the Affordable Care Act that mandates free coverage for certain drugs that prevent HIV infection is a violation of the religious beliefs of a Christian company.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor was in response to a lawsuit filed by former Texas Attorney General and conservative activist Jonathan Mitchell on behalf of Braidwood Management Inc.
The lawsuit challenged an ACA provision requiring free coverage of the HIV drugs Truvada and Descovy, commonly known as PrEP, which thousands of Americans use.
O’Connor sided with the company.
“Defendants show no compelling interest in forcing private, religious companies to cover PrEP drugs without cost-sharing and without religious exemptions,” the judge ruled.
O’Connor, an appointee of former President George W. Bush who… has called the ACA unconstitutionalhas grown in recent years to the go-to jury for conservatives seek to challenge Obamacare provisions and measures aimed at protecting transgender students and enforcing Covid vaccine mandates.
Mitchell is best known as the architect behind a law in Texas which encourages people to file lawsuits against people suspected of helping women have abortions.
This is a story in development, check back for updates.