Will the contraceptive mandate be blocked?/via Flickr Creative Commons

The justices ageed on Tuesday to examine the portion of the ACA that requires employers to provide contraceptive and reproductive health coverage. Opponents of those provisions have argued that religious freedom is restricted under the healthcare law.

The owners of Hobby Lobby, a chain of hobby stores, brought the initial suit, claiming that they have religious objections to covering employee's contraceptives mandated under the ACA. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals said that "forcing the company to comply with the contraceptive mandate would violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act."

According to Reuters, the question that the justices will examine is whether "closely held companies owned by individuals who object to the provision on religious grounds can be exempted from the requirement." 

The Supreme Court's decision on that question will have no bearing on the rest of the ACA.

The case is expected to be scheduled for March 2014 for oral arguments.  With that timeframe, a ruling on the mandate would be expected by June 2014.

Read more about the ACA and Hobby Lobby's case at the Washington Post, CNN, and Reuters.

Follow Executive Producer Colin Hale here. Follow him on Twitter.