US insurers will have to pay for birth control
August 2nd, 2011 - 11:51 am ICT by IANS
Washington, Aug 2 (IANS/EFE) Starting a year from now, US health insurers will be required to pay for women’s contraceptives, according to a decision Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The new guidelines, developed as part of the regulations for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will also apply to the so-called “morning-after” pill.
The decision satisfies the demands of entities such as the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, but it was rejected by conservative groups.
However, HHS included an amendment that permits religious institutions to elect whether or not to cover birth control in their insurance plans.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops earlier had urged HHS to exclude family planning as a service.
President Barack Obama’s healthcare plan has already included free exams and preventive treatments.
Other preventive services specifically for women that will become free starting in August 2012 are annual general checkups and exams for gestational diabetes, the human papilloma virus (HPV), the HIV virus - which causes AIDS - and domestic violence screening.
The Institute of Medicine published a report in July, on the order of the Obama administration, in which it recommended that all approved contraceptives should be included on the list of preventive healthcare services.
“These historic guidelines are based on science and existing literature, and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need,” HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement.
–IANS/EFE
rd
- Health overhaul may usher in free birth control - Nov 01, 2010
- Health Care Overhaul Might Render Birth Control Free - Nov 01, 2010
- Obama appoints chief technology officer - Mar 10, 2012
- Kentucky receives nearly $10 million to expand electronic health information - Feb 16, 2010
- EllaOne: Emergency contraception pill or abortive agent? - Feb 02, 2010
- US Senate defeats birth control amendment - Mar 02, 2012
- US wants restaurants to show calorie content on menus - Apr 03, 2011
- Circumcision Lowers Chances Of HPV Risk In Women, Study Says - Jan 09, 2011
- How virus triggers cervical and mouth cancer - Dec 15, 2010
- A woman's guide to age-proofing health - Jan 19, 2011
- US unveils new cigarette warning labels - Jun 22, 2011
- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Outlines Plans and Steadfast Commitment to Upholding the Integrity of Head Start Program - May 18, 2010
- Obama announces more resources for AIDS fight - Dec 02, 2011
- India, US to boost health cooperation - Apr 11, 2012
- Widely used HIV drug could help prevent cervical cancer - May 04, 2011
Tags: affordable care, american congress, barack obama, conference of catholic bishops, gestational diabetes, health insurers, healthcare plan, hhs secretary, hiv virus, human papilloma virus, institute of medicine, kathleen sebelius, obstetricians and gynecologists, patient protection, preventive healthcare, preventive treatments, religious institutions, service president, us conference of catholic bishops, virus hpv