Dangerous ruling would allow employers to deny health care coverage for contraceptives
New York, NY—In a truly disappointing ruling today, the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision in favor of a closely held corporation’s right to deny coverage for contraception to employees and their families based on an employer’s personal beliefs.
“Contraception is essential to women’s health and well-being, a critical component of preventive care, and integral to the health of families. We are deeply dismayed that the Supreme Court has placed the personal beliefs of the few ahead of the preventive health needs of the many,” said Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Chair Nancy L. Stanwood, MD, MPH.
“Medical evidence and a patient’s needs—not the private beliefs of her employer—should guide the care a woman receives. This ruling could have a devastating effect on many women who may now lose access to the most effective methods of contraception. This includes methods like the intrauterine device (IUD), which has a higher upfront cost and could be rendered unaffordable for many women, especially hourly and low-wage workers. I think of women like my patient, whom I will call Jane, who was a mother of three working two jobs. She had wanted an IUD for some time, but before the Affordable Care Act, she had a $500 deductible that was simply out of her reach. She was so grateful to learn that her insurance now covered it. Having highly effective contraception has allowed Jane to focus on providing for her family. Now, that access can be denied—not for medical reasons but because a boss doesn’t believe in it.”
In January 2014, Physicians for Reproductive Health joined with major medical groups representing a wide spectrum of health care providers to file a brief in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores. The brief argued that employers should not deny coverage for contraception and was referenced by Justice Ginsburg in her dissent at page 24.