A U.S. appeals court on Friday ruled against arguments from religious nonprofit organizations that providing for employees' contraction under Obama's Affordable Care Act violates their right for expression of religion.

The 3-0 verdict, handed by the District of Columbia Circuit's court of appeals, rejected the groups' challenge and stood by the Obama administration's regulations with regard to women's access to contraceptives.

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Under the Affordable Care Act, Food and Drug Administration-endorsed contraceptive methods shall be made available to women with group health insurance coverage at no additional cost. And in anticipation of objections from religious businesses, the government included an accommodation.

The accommodation allows eligibility for exemption, provided that the religious organization officially declare to its insurance company its opposition of contraceptive coverage and provide certification as to its status as a nonprofit religious group.

Despite this, religious groups continue to persist in resisting the regulation.

The groups contend that providing official notices to insurance companies would only cause the government to hijack their health plans and use them as a means for providing students and employees with contraceptive coverage.

Later, a statement issued by the Archdiocese in Washington called the verdict "deeply flawed" and expressed concern over the law's continued imposition on religious groups, forcing them to "cooperate" to "morally objectionable" procedures and products.

Priests for Life National Director Father Frank Pavone shared the sentiment and vowed not to obey then ruling.

The appeals court has maintained that church-affiliated groups need only to express their beliefs to qualify for exemption.

The law requires only the submission of the least amount paperwork, vastly different from those required of nonprofits in compliance with the modern administrative state's laws, said judge Cornelia Pillard.

She added that religious organizations that opt out are exempted from participating in the provision of contraceptive products and services, and are free to express their opposition against contraceptives in the clearest terms.

The court's decision comes in the wake of a Supreme Court judgment that certain companies with objections relating to religious affiliation could opt out of the contraceptive requirement mandated by the Affordable Care Act.

TagsAffordable Care Act, Obamacare, District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals, FDA-approved contraceptives, health insurance, Archdiocese of Washington, Priests for Life, Contraceptives, birth control