The Obama administration’s new national policy has made contraception free for insured women.
As part of the Affordable Care Act — landmark health insurance reform legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010 — all insurance plans will be required to provide full coverage of contraception without deductibles or co-pays by August 2012.
Women will have access to prescribed contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, patient education and counseling approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to www.healthcare.gov, a website created by the Obama administration to share information about the ACA.
“Most workers in employer-sponsored plans are currently covered for contraceptives,” a www.healthcare.gov statement said. “Family planning services are an essential preventive service for women and critical to appropriately spacing and ensuring intended pregnancies, which results in improved maternal health and better birth outcomes.”
Kathleen Sebelius, secretary for health and human services, announced the department’s final rule on health insurance plans to cover preventative services for women with a press release on Friday, Jan. 20.
“Today the department is announcing that the final rule on preventive health services will ensure that women with health insurance coverage will have access to the full range of the Institute of Medicine’s recommended preventive services, including all FDA-approved forms of contraception,” Sebelius said.
The announcement originally stated that beginning Aug. 1, 2012, new and renewed health plans for women will be required to cover the preventative services without any charge to the patient.
However, Obama announced on Friday, Feb. 10 that many religiously affiliated institutions, such as Catholic hospitals, will be exempt from paying insurers to cover contraception. Under the updated policy, health providers will be required to shoulder the extra cost and provide free contraception to female employees of these institutions. The original policy already included an exemption for religious organizations, such as churches.
Dara Silberstein, executive director and assistant professor of women’s studies at Binghamton University, said she supports the addition to the Affordable Care Act.
“I believe that all birth control needs should be covered including abortions irrespective of whether one works under the auspices of a religious institution avowedly opposed to such practices,” Silberstein wrote in an email to Pipe Dream.
Jeanette Russo, a junior majoring in psychology, said she believes that all young women should have the choice to use contraceptives.
“Although I was raised in a Catholic tradition, I understand the importance of contraceptives,” Russo said. “The more protected young women are, the better.”
Clara Kittrell, a senior majoring in Korean studies, said she supports the legislation for reasons beyond basic contraception.
“[Birth control] is a great option to have available for women, not just for the prevention of pregnancy, but also because it can help with self-esteem issues,” Kittrell said. “Birth control is hormone therapy, so it helps with acne problems, as well as controlling and lightening heavy period flows and bad cramping.”
Amanda Seifert, a junior majoring in psychology, also agreed that the change is sound policy.
“The Affordable Care Act, I believe, is a step in the right direction for all women,” Seifert said. “By making birth control and contraceptives affordable, it gives women the right to protect themselves by preventing pregnancy and helping out with gynecological problems without worrying about the high cost that is health care today.”