Catholic Groups Secure Block on Transgender Care Mandate (1)

Enforcement of a federal requirement that health-care and insurance groups perform or pay for gender-transition care would violate the religious rights of several Catholic organizations, the Eighth Circuit affirmed Friday.

The Religious Sisters of Mercy and the other groups are entitled to a permanent injunction, the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit said in a unanimous decision.

The US Health and Human Services Department and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s interpretation of how the Affordable Care Act’s Section 1557 and Title VII apply to transgender care conflicts with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the court said.

The decision echoes ...