Health-care lawsuit filed for Mo. lawmaker

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri House member and his wife are going to court over a requirement that their group health insurance include coverage for contraception.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in St. Louis and asserts the couples' religious, free speech and parental rights have been violated. It seeks a declaratory judgment and an injunction. The suit was filed by the Thomas More Society on behalf of state Rep. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial, and his wife Teresa Wieland.

According to court documents, the family previously opted out of coverage for contraceptives, sterilization or abortifacients in its health coverage and that the Wielands have been told their coverage now must include contraception and sterilization because of the federal health-care law. Also covered through the plan are the couple's 12-year-old, 18-year-old and 19-year-old daughters.

The Wielands state they do not believe contraceptives, sterilization or abortifacients are medicine or health care and instead involve immoral practices.