Obama holds firm on contraceptive coverage mandate

The Obama administration is refusing to broaden the exemption from the new rule requiring religious employers to cover contraceptives:

The Obama administration will allow religious organizations a one-year delay before they must comply with a new rule requiring employers that offer workers health insurance to include access to contraception with no out-of-pocket cost, according to people familiar with the decision.

But the rule itself and the employers covered by it remain unchanged.

I am (a little) surprised and (a lot) disappointed that the administration didn't budge.  I'm also not sure what the purpose of the one-year delay is.  My cynical side can't help but notice that it conveniently postpones any enforcement dramas until after the election.  If you need a refresher on the merits of the exemption debate, check out Rick's op-ed from a couple of months ago.