DENVER (AP) — A group of faith-based religious organizations that object to covering birth control in their employee health plans told a panel of federal judges that they should be treated like religions and not be required to even file papers saying they don’t want to cover contraceptives.

But a lawyer for the federal government said Monday that would require officials to set up sort of a “detective agency” to determine whether employers aren’t meeting health insurance mandates because of religious beliefs.

The cases before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver are the latest challenge the birth-control mandate in the federal health care law.

The religious groups aren’t required to cover contraception. But they say a government requirement that they affirm their religious objection makes them complicit in providing the coverage.