Contraceptive Coverage Decision Under Threat

All Women Should Have Access to Contraception, Have It Without a Co-Pay, and Have It No Matter Where They Work

Opponents of contraception are trying to take away contraceptive coverage for millions of women -- they don't want you covered, and we can't let them win!

The National Women's Law Center has been working on getting contraception covered in health plans for many years. Last summer, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expanded the list of preventative health services that all new health insurance plans are required to cover at no cost under the Affordable Care Act. These important health care services include the full range of FDA-approved contraception, yearly well-woman visits, support for breast feeding, counseling for sexually transmitted infections, and screening and counseling for domestic violence, among others.

Then, in January the HHS announced the final policy would provide contraceptives without co-pays with a narrow religious employer exemption. This is a huge step forward for women's health.

But contraception opponents aren't giving up, even though 335,000 houses of worship are exempted from this policy: they've launched a full-court press to try to overturn this crucial decision. They've filed court cases, they're pressuring politicians and they're taking to the airwaves and editorial pages in a coordinated effort to take away contraceptive coverage for women who need it to protect their health and the health of their families. We need your help to protect this important coverage -- sign the petition today!

Resources

Factsheets

NWLC Press Statements

HHS Decision On Contraceptive Coverage An Important Milestone (January 20, 2012)
Contraceptive Coverage Should be Available to All Women, Says NWLC (November 2, 2011)
National Women's Law Center Urges Dept. of Health & Human Services to Extend No-Cost Contraceptive Coverage to All Women (September 29, 2011)
National Women's Law Center Hails Dept. Of Health And Human Services Decision On Women's Preventive Health Care (August 1, 2011)
National Women's Law Center Applauds Institute of Medicine Recommendations on Women's Preventive Health (July 19, 2011)
Being a Woman Is No Longer a "Pre-Existing Condition:" The Senate and House Pass Reconciliation Bill on Health Care Reform (March 25, 2010)
National Women's Law Center Applauds Passage of Mikulski Women's Health Amendment in the Senate (December 3, 2009)

Blog Carnival

Read the posts from our July 21, 2011 Birth Control Blog Carnival!

Read the posts from the November 30, 2011 #HERVotes Blog Carnival!

Read the posts from the February 2, 2012 #HERVotes Blog Carnival!

From Our Blog

Bluntly a Bad Idea: My Boss Making Decisions about My Body (February 17, 2012)
Act Now! Senate Set to Vote to Repeal No-Cost Birth Control (February 14, 2012)
Protect Women's Health: Tell Your Senators to Reject Extreme Legislation (February 11, 2012)
Congressional Members’ Statements on Contraceptive Coverage Rule Not Based in Fact (February 9, 2012)
Would you let someone make your contraceptive decisions for you? Didn't think so. (February 2, 2012)
The Highs and Lows on Birth Control Access Coverage (February 2, 2012)
Hey Media: It's about the Health of Women and Families (February 2, 2012)
Women of Childbearing Age: Take Your Talents Elsewhere (February 2, 2012)
My Health Is Not a Pork Chop (February 2, 2012)
Critics Get It Wrong on Contraceptive Coverage (February 1, 2012)
One more time... (January 31, 2012)
Breaking News: Access to No-Cost Birth Control Secured (January 20, 2012)
#HERVotes Blog Carnival -- Fight Against an Expanded Religious Exemption to Birth Control Coverage (November 30, 2011)
Sad Reality: New President, Same Fight (November 30, 2011)
Conscience Clause: Preserving Morality or Creating Immorality? (November 30, 2011)
Tell Presiden Obama All Women Need Affordable Birth Control (November 21, 2011)
Deal With Your Health. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, We Can. (November 7, 2011)
My Employer Shouldn't Control My Contraception Descisions (November 4, 2011)
Help Us Make Sure ALL Women Can Get Birth Control Without a Co-Pay (August 11, 2011)
Big News for Women's Health – Birth Control Without Co-Pays Now a Reality (August 1, 2011)
Good Day for Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding Expenses Get Covered Without Co-Pay (August 1, 2011)
“We've Got You Covered” Birth Control Blog Carnival – The Posts (July 21, 2011)
Think your guy is hot? You need no-cost birth control! (July 21, 2011)
The Ever Changing World of Birth Control Co-Pays (July 21, 2011)
Contraceptive Co-Pays: A Thing of the Past? (July 21, 2011)
Well-Woman Visits: Keeping Women Healthy, When They Can Afford Them (July 21, 2011)
Early Detection of Cervical Cancer: An Easy Solution for a Deadly Disease (July 21, 2011)
Screening for Intimate Partner Violence: A Necessary Preventive Service for Women (July 21, 2011)
Young Women, Be Grateful for the Health Care Law (July 21, 2011)
Please voice your support for birth control without cost-sharing on Wall Street Journal site! (July 21, 2011)
Before debating whether "pregnancy is a disease," read the Best. Opinion. Ever. (July 21, 2011)
No-Cost Birth Control Could Save Women Hundreds of Dollars a Year (July 21, 2011)
"The Sex Box" (July 21, 2011)
Birth Control Without Co-Pays Expands Opportunities for Women (July 21, 2011)
Forget Paying for an Unforgettable Preventive Service (July 21, 2011)
Win-Win: Taxpayers, Too, Save with No Co-Pay Contraception (July 21, 2011)
Insurance Coverage for Birth Control With No Co-Pay Is Happening! (July 21, 2011)
Access Denied (July 21, 2011)
No-Cost Birth Control? It's Possible Thanks to the Health Care Law (June 16, 2011)
An Ode to No-Cost Birth Control (March 24, 2011)
The Latest on the Women's Preventive Services Committee (March 11, 2011)
Denying Contraceptive Coverage is Harmful to Women (December 16, 2010)

Press Coverage

Video/Audio

Video: NWLC's Marcia Greenberger on the PBS News Hour

More info on the segment.

Audio: NWLC's Judy Waxman on the Diane Rehm Show

Listen | More info on the segment.

More Coverage

Romney Says He Would Oppose Blunt Bill If It ‘Prevented People From Getting Contraception’ (ThinkProgress, March 1, 2012)
Blunt Amendment Debate Recalls Memories Of Walmart Contraception Case (Huffington Post, February 29, 2012)
Bishops reject Obama's compromise on contraception services (National Catholic Reporter, February 28, 2012)
Fact Check: Cloudy Contraception Costs (NJ Today, February 24, 2012)
Small religious colleges mount legal challenge to contraceptive mandate (Fox News, February 23, 2012)
Contraceptive debate lacks individual choice (Arizona Daily Wildcat, February 19, 2012)
House Hearing on HHS Mandate Raises Objections, Previews Election-Year Spin (National Catholic Register, February 17, 2012)
Birth-Control Blues (National Journal, February 17, 2012)
Democratic Women Slam GOP’s Radical Contraception Amendment, Claim It ‘Opens Door To Discrimination’ (Think Progress, February 15, 2012)
Republicans Want to Put Your Boss Between You and Your Doctor (AlterNet, February 14, 2012)
Birth Control Amendment 'Dangerous,' Obama Spokesman Says (Huffington Post, February 14, 2012)
The GOP Plan To Give Your Boss "Moral" Control Over Your Health Insurance (Mother Jones, February 14, 2012)
FACT CHECK—White House: Hawaii Birth Control Law Doesn’t Raise Insurance Premiums (Honolulu Civil Beat, February 13th)
Local Catholic priests speak out against federal contraception mandate (SouthCoastToday.com, February 11th)
GOP Ups the Ante, Introduces Legislation to Allow Any Employer to Deny Any Preventive Health Service (Think Progress, February 10th)
Obama Announces Compromise On Contraception Measure: Catholic Leaders Furious (CBS New York, February 10th)
White House Announces ‘Accommodation’ on Birth Control Issue (The Atlantic, February 10th)
Obama allies blitzed W.House, calling for birth-control compromise (Reuters, February 10th)
Will Obama Deal Lead to Free IVF? (SmartMoney, February 10th)
Campaigning on Contraception: Obama’s Calculus (ABC News, February 9th)
Marco Rubio's Plan Could Cut Off Birth Control Coverage for Millions (Mother Jones, February 9, 2012)
New Lawsuit Challenges Obama Contraception Rule (ABC News, February 9, 2012)
Bishops Stand Strong Against Birth Control Mandate (KERA, February 9, 2012)
The Republican War on Contraception (Mother Jones, February 9, 2012)
Most of Obama's "Controversial" Birth Control Rule Was Law During Bush Years (Mother Jones, February 8, 2012)
I'm Outraged - Why Aren't You? (The Huffington Post, February 8, 2012)
Catholics' Enraged Response to Obama Birth-Control Policy Is Misplaced (The Daily Beast, February 8, 2012)
Sound Off: Should Religious Groups Be Exempt From Birth Control Mandate? (Babylon Village Patch, February 7, 2012)
Obama Administration, Catholic Leaders Clash Over Contraception Mandate (PBS NewsHour, February 6, 2012)
Following Rule, Boston Archdiocese Warns It May Drop Employee Health Coverage (WBUR, February 6, 2012)
Faith, politics at odds in health-care coverage debate (Toledo Blade, February 4, 2012)
Catholics, contraception and the new health care law (The Diane Rehm Show, February 2, 2012)
Balancing Faith and Contraceptives (The American Prospect, February 1, 2012)
Critics get it wrong on contraceptive coverage (Huffington Post, February 1, 2012)
Baptist leader admires Catholic stance against contraceptive coverage (Houston Chronicle, January 31, 2012)
Contraceptive mandate could face tough sledding from Supreme Court (Los Angeles Times, January 30, 2012)
Catholics blast federal birth control mandate (USA Today, January 30, 2012)
Archbishop Gregory Aymond calls health coverage mandate a threat to conscience for Catholics (The Times-Picayune, January 26, 2012)
Health care reform rules have GOP mum (Politico, August 9, 2011)
Catholic hospitals supported Obama's health care law, but now object to covering birth control (The Washington Post, August 7, 2011)
Policy on birth control a welcome addition (The Daily Star, August 4, 2011)
Insurers, religions oppose no-cost birth control mandate in health reform (Deseret News, August 2, 2011)
U.S. to require birth control without copay (Chicago Tribune, August 2, 2011)
U.S. says insurers must fully cover birth control (Reuters, August 2, 2011)
New U.S. rules require insurance coverage for contraception (The Washington Post, August 1, 2011)
'Conscience clause' in health rules (Politico, August 1, 2011)
Big step forward for women's health (Politico, July 24, 2011)
The absurd attack on contraceptives (Salon, July 22, 2011)
Listen to Judy Waxman on New Mexico's Women's Health Today (KUNM, July 22, 2011)
Listen to Judy Waxman on the Diane Rehm Show (NPR, July 21, 2011)
Eliminate Co-Pays for Contraception, IOM Report Recommends (The Nation, July 19, 2011)
Birth control coverage proposed for most health insurance plans (The Washington Post, July 19 2011)
Women's health advocates praise IOM recommendations (The Hill, July 19, 2011)
Birth control coverage required in U.S. health plan (Indianapolis Business Journal, July 19, 2011)

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Marcia Greenberger to Receive Award

NWLC Co-President Marcia Greenberger has been chosen to receive the 2012 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award at American Bar Association's annual meeting on Aug. 5 in Chicago. The award honors outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence and paved the way to success for others, and previous winners include Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.