US Roman Catholic bishops have voiced opposition to President Barack Obama’s plan to require insurers to provide free birth control – despite earlier indication they might accept the compromise.

“The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services,” the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement.

The government’s decision to guarantee women access to contraceptives “remains a grave moral concern,” they added.

On Friday, Mr Obama said his government would no longer require religious organisations to offer free contraception on employee health plans and decried opponents that said he had turned the whole issue into a “political football.”

But he stuck by the principle that all women should have free access to such services, putting the onus on insurance firms to approach women working for religious employers like Catholic hospitals to offer them birth control.

The fight erupted when the administration decided not to exempt religious employers from a requirement under its health reform law that work-based insurance plans offer women coverage for contraception.