The Obama administration announced the final rules under the Affordable Care Act on Friday requiring most employer health insurance plans to cover employees’ contraception without a copay.
“The health care law guarantees millions of women access to recommended preventive services at no cost,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement. “Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to respect the concerns of houses of worship and other non-profit religious organizations that object to contraceptive coverage, while helping to ensure that women get the care they need, regardless of where they work.”
The rule, which goes into effect August 1 for religious non-profits after a year-long grace period, completely exempts houses of worship and makes accommodations for many religiously affiliated schools, hospitals and charities. Under the accommodation, religious non-profits can avoid having to pay for contraception directly by having the third-party insurance provider foot the bill for that specific coverage.