White House loosens contraception coverage mandate

Churches and other religious groups will not have to provide, pay for or refer female employees for contraception coverage, says a final federal rule President Obama unveiled on Feb. 10. But insurers administering the workers' health plans will be required to cover contraception for women without any additional cost-sharing, the White House says.

"Under the rule, women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive services -- no matter where they work," Obama said on Feb. 10. Virtually all adult women have used some form of contraception, but many women have difficulty paying for it, he said.

The revised rule implements a health reform requirement for most health insurance plans to provide contraception -- among a list of other women's basic preventive services -- without a co-pay or deductible starting on Aug. 1. An earlier version had included narrower exemptions for religious groups, which complained that they would be forced to subsidize a product against their moral teachings. The adjusted rule also gives religious groups a one-year exemption to phase in the mandate. Drugs that cause abortions are not covered by the policy, the White House said.

But at least some religious leaders remained unhappy with the new proposal. Self-insured religious employers still might not be exempt from the mandate and would need to pay for their workers' contraception directly, according to a statement by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The conference will continue to pursue the mandate's repeal or invalidation.

Groups that advocate for contraception access, such as the National Partnership for Women & Families, supported the decision. "We commend President Obama for standing with women in the face of the furious and baseless attacks on women's access to contraceptive coverage," said Debra L. Ness, the group's president.

Republicans in Congress also intend to fight the issue. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee scheduled a hearing, and Senate Republicans want a vote on so-called conscience legislation.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/02/20/gvbf0220.htm.