Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Administration Moves To Expand Coverage Of Birth Control Under ACA
Reuters: U.S. Seeks To Expand Birth Control Coverage Under Obamacare
Women whose employers have opted out of covering contraceptives under their health insurance plans on religious grounds would gain no-cost access to birth control under a rule proposed by the Biden administration on Monday. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, requires private insurance plans to cover recommended preventive services including contraception without any patient cost-sharing, but current regulations grant exemptions for religious or moral objections. If the new rule is implemented, women enrolled in plans governed by the ACA would gain birth control coverage regardless of employer exemption, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in a statement. (Aboulenein, 1/30)
USA Today: Biden Proposal Seeks To Bolster Obamacare's Contraception Coverage
The proposed rule from three federal agencies would remove an employer's ability to object to such coverage on moral grounds while still allowing religious objections. But individuals whose coverage is provided by employers or schools with religious objections could still access contraceptive care through a willing provider. (Alltucker, 1/30)
The Hill: White House Moves To Strengthen ObamaCare Contraception Requirement
The proposal would make it so employers are not required to notify HHS if they have a moral objection. The agency said far more employers have invoked religious objections than moral; about 18 employers have claimed that exemption, and around 15 employees are affected. It would also establish a new independent pathway for individuals enrolled in plans or coverage offered by religious employers to obtain contraceptive services at no cost directly from a willing provider or facility that furnishes contraceptive services. (Weixel and Choi, 1/30)
