National Women’s Law Center Hails Dept. Of Health And Human Services Decision On Women’s Preventive Health Care

HHS adopts recommendations for women’s preventive health care, contraception, counseling and preventive screenings at no cost to women

(Washington, D.C.) The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) today lauded the announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that it would expand the list of preventive health services required to be offered with no co-pay by health insurers to 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. Unfortunately, HHS also issued a “notice of proposed rulemaking,” subject to a 60-day comment period, that would exempt certain religious employers from providing contraceptive services.

This announcement comes on a day when Congress is preparing to vote on a debt ceiling deal that could include devastating cuts to programs that are vital to the health of women and their families – such as Title X family planning, services for low-income women, domestic violence prevention and other programs that help the most vulnerable.

The following is a statement by National Women’s Law Center Co-President Marcia D. Greenberger:

“For decades, the National Women’s Law Center has advocated for equity in health insurance coverage and has worked to ensure that women have access to key preventive services, including affordable contraception. The decision by the Department of Health and Human Services requiring health insurers to cover important women’s preventive health care services, including the full range of FDA-approved contraception, with no out-of-pocket costs, is a huge step forward for fairness and improved health outcomes for women and their families.

“As a result of this decision, more women will have meaningful and affordable access to the basic, preventive health care they need, although it will also be of critical importance as the implications of the debt ceiling deal play out that women’s access to health care is not undermined.

“We applaud HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for adopting the recommendations of the medical and scientific experts at the Institute of Medicine and for improving women’s access to health care. This is a milestone in the effort to improve the health and lives of women and their families. At the same time, it’s unfortunate that the administration is considering a proposal to exempt some employers from providing contraceptive services, and we will work to ensure that all women are guaranteed this vital coverage.”

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