Physicians for Reproductive Health believes that access to contraception is of vital importance to women’s health because it allows them to determine the timing and spacing of pregnancies. In the medical world, we have studied birth control methods and their effects for decades. We know, based on enormous amounts of scientific evidence, that contraception is crucial to women’s well-being, their children’s health, and their ability to educate themselves, achieve career goals, care for and support their families, and otherwise participate in society. As physicians, we see every day how it improves our patients’ lives.

The contraceptives that are most reliable, however, can be too expensive for many women to afford out of pocket. Because we believe every woman should be able to choose from a broad array FDA-approved contraceptives to find the one that meets her health needs, we advocated in support of the Affordable Care Act. We were thrilled when the Supreme Court upheld health care reform in June 2012.

As of August 1, federal rules are now in effect that require private insurance plans to cover the full cost of preventive health services for women, including contraceptives, without co-pays or any other extra charges. Some institutions--both faith-based and private, secular businesses--are objecting to new federal rules requiring their employees’ health insurance policies to cover contraception. Allowing employers to refuse to offer this benefit is harmful to women and their families, and we believe all women deserve affordable birth control.

Read more about what we’re doing to advocate for better access to contraception for all women.