Elimination of birth control co-pay sparks controversy

New health care reform rules just published by the Obama administration provide unprecedented preventive coverage for women, including birth control with no co-pays. But critics say the new mandates offend the conscience of millions of Americans.

Back in the 1990s, a lot of health care plans didn’t cover birth control and some still don’t. Today, most plans require at least a co-pay. That’s about to change. New rules just released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services eliminate co-pays for birth control.

The Obama administration is requiring health plans to provide annual well-women check-ups, breast-feeding support and counseling on how to avoid H-I-V and other sexually transmitted diseases.

“We are really pleased with this decision. It’s really good news for women’s health and for their pocket books,” said Beverly Whipple, Executive Director of Cedar River Clinics in Tacoma and Renton, that provide health care services for women.

Whipple says mandatory coverage for women’s health services and eliminating co-pays is crucial.

“When there are high co-pays, or when it’s not covered, then women either delay or even skip their preventive health care, causing even further problems down the road,” said Whipple.

The new rule requiring birth control coverage drew immediate protest from religious and conservative organizations, including the Family Research Council.

“There are different groups of people who have either ethical or moral objections to contraception and so those groups of people shouldn’t be mandated to pay through their insurance premiums, for contraceptives for other people,” said Jeanne Monahan, at the Council’s Center for Human Dignity.

The changes are part of the Affordable Care Act and do make a concession to religious organizations, allowing them to opt out of providing coverage for birth control.

Whipple says that’s a mistake. “By allowing them a conscientious objector (option) then they’re denying all their employees something that, if you worked somewhere else, you could have that benefit.”

Health insurance plans are required to cover all birth control options approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that includes the controversial ‘morning after pill.’

Conservative groups also object to the fact that the cost of the new coverage will be spread among people with health insurance, resulting in slightly higher premiums. But supporters of the new rules for women’s health care say increased preventive care will mean fewer unwanted pregnancies, healthier women and generate huge savings in the longer term.

Many of the new rules take effect in August 2012 with the remainder of the changes in place by January of 2013.