The Trump administration is expected to soon issue a rule weakening contraceptive coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act. This action is in follow up to a May 4 executive order signed by President Trump.
In response, Consulting Medical Director of Physicians for Reproductive Health, Dr. Anne Davis, issued the following statement:
“We are deeply concerned about the reports of a draft rule that could take away contraceptive coverage from patients because of their employers’ beliefs. Contraception is a key part of preventive care for women. Insurance coverage for contraception, now covered under the Affordable Care Act without extra fees, preserves health and well-being in countless ways. Women and their physicians know from firsthand experience that with contraception, pregnancy can happen at the right time. That should be our goal, whatever an employer’s personal beliefs.
“Countless families now live healthier lives because insurance must cover all methods of contraception. Let’s not go back to the days when birth control was off the table for too many because it was too expensive.”
The ACA requirements have made birth control more affordable, meaning that a patient can choose the contraception that is best for her rather than selecting based on cost. Taking away coverage that my patients rely on will be disastrous. Countless families now live healthier lives because insurance must cover all methods of contraception. Let’s not go back to the days when birth control was off the table for too many because it was too expensive.
We note that some employers have objected to covering contraception because of the mistaken belief that certain methods of contraception are abortifacients. Contraception works by preventing pregnancy, not by disrupting an established pregnancy. A woman’s health insurance should meet all of her health care needs, including contraception. Employers should not interfere in what is a private decision by withholding insurance coverage.”