Federal judge Kimberly Mueller dismissed a suit by the southern California congregations in an Aug. 31 order, ruling that the churches had failed to state an adequate claim. She granted the congregations -- Foothill Church in Glendora, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino and The Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch -- 21 days to file an amended complaint.

The churches sued the state in response to 2014 letters from the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) that informed their private health insurers they could not prohibit or restrict coverage for elective abortions. The churches said they "believe and teach that abortion destroys an innocent human life" and "participation in, facilitation of, or ...