For those who have not been following the story, the president said that Catholic affiliated hospitals will not be required to provide contraceptives but all insurance companies will be required to provide them at no cost.

I think it was a brilliant decision. It is an end run around Catholic hospitals, which will not be forced to violate their principles, but all women will have access to contraceptives.

I have seen the argument made that Catholic hospitals will end up having to pay, because premiums will increase due to the provision of contraceptives. I am not sure that this is the case. Access to contraceptives by the poor means fewer costs due to unwanted pregnancies and fewer additional health costs for unwanted children. It also means that families will be able to better provide for smaller families, leading to less illness. What this does mean is that the Catholic church will not be able to impose its will on the vast majority of its members who are in favor of contraceptive devices.