A strong majority of Americans support the Obama administration's requirement that health insurance plans cover the cost of contraceptives for religiously affiliated employers, according to a new survey Wednesday.
Sixty-five percent of registered voters said that they supported the Obama administration's birth control mandate, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll.
The Obama administration's decision has sparked a backlash from religious groups that oppose the use of contraception.
The original rule mandated that employers provide health insurance plans that include coverage for birth control, with an exemption for religious employers but not for religiously affiliated institutions like Catholic colleges or hospitals.
Americans agreed with this rule, according to the survey -- 59 percent of registered voters said that religiously affiliated employers should cover the cost of birth control in their employee health care plans.
However, the Health and Human Services Department has since backtracked somewhat, issuing an altered rule that puts the onus on health insurance providers to pay for the cost of birth control. The Conference of Catholic Bishops and other religious leaders continue to oppose the concept.
