Obama Administration holds to birth control insurance rule but gives religious groups more time to comply

[teko]

1/20/2012

The Obama administration will allow religious organizations a one-year delay before they must comply with a new rule requiring employers that offer workers health insurance to include access to contraception with no out-of-pocket cost, according to people familiar with the decision.

But the rule itself, and the employers covered by it, remain unchanged. This is likely to disappoint religious groups such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which had lobbied hard for a permanent exemption for employers that consider birth control a violation of their religious beliefs. Women’s advocates greeted the decision with relief, because they had feared the administration was planning to significantly weaken the original regulation.

That rule, first proposed by the administration in August, does exempt employers whose primary purpose is to inculcate religious values and that mainly employ and serve individuals who share those values. However, the bishops argued that this definition was too narrow--excluding a wide range of religious universities, hospitals, and schools that do not currently offer birth control coverage.

Under the arrangement to be announced Friday, insitutions that do currently offer contraception--including many Catholic universities and hospitals--will not be eligible for the one-year waiver.


Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/obama-administration-holds-to-birth-control-insurance-rule-but-gives-religious-groups-more-time-to-comply/2012/01/20/gIQAR84nDQ_story.html



Or visit washingtonpost.com.

[orphanedhawk]

As I see practically all the worlds problems stemming from overpopulation it's a no brainer to keep birth control assessable.
I wish we were handing out free birth control in all those countries we send supposed AID to.
Its the one thing, I would contribute to in a heartbeat.

[teko]

Well its way way way too late for me for this to be an issue. You all do know I got 27 grandkids right? So you can see why I am all for it. Back in the day I had to go to planned parenthood for them, as they were the only place that ws affordable for me. Got all my yearly exams thru them as well and a couple of  times they are who informed me I was pregnant and got me started on vitamins and the such till I could get to the doc. Oh well, I digress.

[brice1967]

I'm a firm believer in birth control.  For those that are against it, I simply say..."Don't use it".  I'm not saying it should be free, but birth control should remain available to anyone who wants it.  

People need to quit screwing around with other peoples rights.  It's legal, its available.... leave it the hell alone.

[MrsPincince]

This is one that I am proud of the President for. I remember when I was working for the bank and I had just had my son. I didn't want another child right away so I decided to get the Mirena (5yr IUD). Well because this was not in effect yet, it cost me and my husband 300+ for it..... It's too late for me  but this will save many families a lot of money because whether we believe in it or not, Birth control is a necessity and it shouldn't cost more outside of what we dish out in our checks for payments to medical insurance..