Preventive Services, Including Contraceptive Coverage, Under the Health Care Law

The health care law requires new health plans to cover certain preventive services. This means that, as an increasing number of health plans come under the law’s reach over the next few years, more and more people will have access to a wide range of preventive services without co-payments, deductibles, or co-insurance. This is especially important to women, who are more likely than men to avoid needed health care, including preventive care, because of cost. This requirement is a huge step forward for women’s health.

Use our information and tools to find out more about preventive services in the health care law and if your health plan covers the women’s preventive services without a co-payment, deductible, or co-insurance or when that coverage will begin:

Getting the Coverage You Deserve: What to Do If You Are Charged a Co-Payment, Deductible, or Co-Insurance for a Preventive Service

• Fact Sheet: Access to Preventive Health Care for Women in the Health Care Law: Frequently Asked Questions
• Fact Sheet: Contraceptive Coverage in the Health Care Law: Frequently Asked Questions
• Women's Access to Preventive Services Affirmed by HHS
• If Opponents of Birth Control Have Their Way, Millions of Women Would Lose Access to Birth Control
• How to Find Out If and When Your Health Plan Will Begin Covering Women’s Preventive Services with No Co-Pay

If you had trouble getting one of the preventive services covered and you are unsure why, let us know. We might be able to help. Please contact us at 1-866-PILL4US or via email at pill4us@nwlc.org.

Challenges to Contraceptive Coverage

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!  Even though 335,000 houses of worship are exempt from the health care law’s contraceptive coverage requirement, opponents of contraception aren't giving up.  They've launched a full-court press to try to overturn this crucial policy entirely. 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 contraceptive coverage away from women who need it to protect their health and the health of their families.

• If Opponents of Birth Control Have Their Way, Millions of Women Would Lose Access to Birth Control

Lawsuits

• Overview of the Lawsuits Challenging the Affordable Care Act’s No Cost-Sharing Contraceptive Coverage Benefit
• NWLC Amicus Briefs Supporting the Contraceptive Coverage Benefit

Legislation

• Factsheet: State Politicians Want Bosses to Make Women's Health Care Decisions
• Fact Sheet: The Rubio-Manchin Bill Would Allow Any Employer to Take Away Women’s Insurance Coverage of Contraception, Harming the Health of Women and Their Families
• Fact Sheet: The Blunt Amendment Takes Away Access to Critical Health Insurance Coverage for Millions of Americans
• Fact Sheet: The Rubio Bill Would Allow Any Employer to Take Away Women’s Insurance Coverage of Contraception, Harming the Health of Women and Their Families
• Letter: Organizational Sign On Letter to Senate: Oppose the Blunt Amendment

• Webinar on Women's Preventive Servicesin the Affordable Care Act
• Toolkit: Getting the Coverage You Deserve: What To Do If You Are Charged a Co-Payment, Deductible, or Co-Insurance For a Preventive Service
• If Opponents of Birth Control Have Their Way, Millions of Women Would Lose Access to Birth Control
• Contraceptive Coverage in the Health Care Law: What’s New as of August 1, 2012?
• Preventive Health Services in the Health Care Law: What’s New as of August 1, 2012?
• How To Find Out If and When Your Health Plan Will Begin Covering Women’s Preventive Services with No Co-Pay
• Fact Sheet: Access to Preventive Health Care for Women in the Health Care Law: Frequently Asked Questions
• Fact Sheet: Contraceptive Coverage in the Health Care Law: Frequently Asked Questions
• Fact Sheet: Covering Prescription Contraceptives In Employee Health Plans: How This Coverage Saves Money
• Polling: New Research Shows Yet Again That Americans Overwhelmingly Support Access to Affordable Birth Control
• Letter: Organizational Sign On Letter to Senate: Oppose the Blunt Amendment
• Fact Sheet: Title VII Requires Covered Employers to Provide Contraceptive Coverage
• Fact Sheet: Denying Contraception Harms Women
• Fact Sheet: Guaranteeing Contraceptive Coverage In All New Health Insurance Plans
• Timeline: Guaranteeing Coverage of Contraceptives, Past and Present
• Testimony: NWLC's Judy Waxman before the Institute of Medicine