Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Administration Finalizes Rule Allowing Moral And Religious Exemptions For Health Law's Birth Control Mandate
The Associated Press: Trump Administration Finalizes Birth Control Opt-Out Policy
A day after Republicans expanded their Senate majority, the Trump administration on Wednesday finalized a policy change that allows some employers with religious or moral objections to opt out of providing no-cost birth control for female workers. The new regulations from several federal agencies apply mainly to religious organizations, nonprofits and small businesses. Women's rights groups already suing the administration over an earlier version of the opt-out vowed to continue their court battle. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 11/7)
The Washington Post: Trump Administration Issues Rules Letting Some Employers Deny Contraceptive Coverage
The rules notch a deep exception to a federal requirement under the Obama-era interpretation of the Affordable Care Act that essential health benefits must include coverage of contraception at no charge to consumers. The circumvention of this mandate, first proposed by Trump health officials a year ago, is part of the administration’s alliance with social conservatives for whom “religious liberty” has become a central cause and who had objected to the contraceptive mandate. (Goldstein, 11/7)
The Wall Street Journal: HHS To Let Some Employers Opt Out Of Birth-Control Mandate
The exemptions, which the department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday, are less sweeping than an original set of rules laid out a year ago that would have allowed virtually any employer to opt out of the contraceptive mandate by claiming a religious or moral objection. Those rules were blocked from going into effect by two federal judges. ... A group of Democratic state attorneys general filed suit last year against the administration’s original set of exemptions, and are likely to pursue legal action to attempt to prevent the new exemptions from taking effect. (Hackman, 11/7)
Meanwhile —
Bloomberg: Obamacare Insurers May Have To Bill Abortion Coverage Separately Under Trump
The Trump administration wants Obamacare insurers to send patients separate bills each month for the portion of their policies that covers abortion. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to send separate invoices for the part of plan members’ monthly premiums that cover abortion, in a proposed rule published Wednesday afternoon. (Tozzi, 11/7)
