Under a new rule proposed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), women and their partners would have access to family planning and contraceptive coverage.
“Today, my administration is taking an important step to expand contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act,” defended President Joe Biden. “This new measure would help ensure that millions of women with private health insurance can access the free contraception they need.”
The new strategy from the administration of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris would expand coverage of over-the-counter contraceptives without cost sharing.
“Under the proposed rule, for the first time, women could obtain over-the-counter (OTC) contraceptives without a prescription and at no additional cost,” states a document distributed by the White House. “As a result, more women would be able to access and pay for essential over-the-counter medications, such as emergency contraception and the first daily oral contraceptive approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use without a prescription, which is now widely available. throughout the country.”
The new proposal will also facilitate information about coverage for over-the-counter contraception plans, to avoid abuse by insurers.
“Most private health plans would be required to report that over-the-counter contraception is covered without cost sharing and without a prescription, and take steps to help women get more information about their contraceptive coverage,” it said.
The Biden Administration wants to strengthen prescription contraceptive drug coverage without cost sharing, meaning health insurance plans should cover the cost of FDA-approved drugs.
Vice President Harris noted that the Administration’s proposal is the most significant change to the ACA in more than a decade.
“This proposed new rule will build on our Administration’s work to protect reproductive freedom by giving millions of women more options for the affordable contraceptive methods they need and deserve,” he noted. “That includes coverage of no-cost, no-prescription contraceptives for the first time in our nation’s history. These lower contraception costs would add to the billions of dollars women have already saved on contraception thanks to the Affordable Care Act that President Biden and I have strengthened.”
Other health actions
The Biden Administration recalled that the repeal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court has taken various actions to reduce the impact on the protection of family planning and women’s reproductive rights.
Under the ACA, millions of women have been helped save billions of dollars on contraceptives, the Administration boasts in a report.
It is highlighted that the supports are through Medicare and Medicaid, through the Title X Family Planning Program, through federally qualified health centers and for federal employees, service members, veterans and college students.
With its new proposal, the Biden-Harris Administration would significantly increase contraceptive coverage without cost sharing for 52 million women of reproductive age with private health insurance.
The rule is proposed by the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor and the Treasury.
Biden criticized Republicans for blocking efforts in Congress to further protect women’s reproductive rights and contraception.
“Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked federal legislation to safeguard the fundamental right to contraception for women in every state. “It is unacceptable,” he accused.
The vice president has also noted that Republicans have “systematically refused to protect access to IVF and continue to propose national abortion bans.”