Birth control coverage proposed for most health insurance plans

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

Virtually all health insurance plans could soon be required to offer female patients free coverage of prescription birth control, breast-pump rentals, counseling for domestic violence, and annual wellness exams and HIV tests as a result of recommendations released Tuesday by an independent advisory panel of health experts.

The health-care law adopted last year directed the Obama administration to draw up a list of preventive services for women that all new health plans must cover without deductibles or co-payments. While the guidelines suggested Tuesday by a committee of the Institute of Medicine are not binding, the panel conducted its review at the request of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Administration officials have indicated that she will consider the recommendations and release proposed regulations very soon.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/birth-control-coverage-proposed-for-all-health-insurance-plans/2011/07/19/gIQAcqS7NI_story.html

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This is a 4-paragraph article that might be expanded for print.

[Fearless]

1. That is good news. Granted it doesn't make these items free and possibly not even cheap...

we'll see. Hopefully this helps. At least it's a step in the right direction.

[williesgirl]

2. It's always pissed me off that they'll cover Viagra etc but not birth control. go figure!

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Viagra corrects a medical problem, birth control doesn't.

That's the basic justification that has been made for covering one but not the other -- I wish that I were making this up.