From Raw Story: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/01/hhs-takes-final-steps-toward-near-universal-contraception-coverage/
By David Ferguson
Friday, February 1, 2013
Reproductive rights groups are applauding the latest announcement by the Obama administration of proposed policies aimed at providing contraceptive coverage to women employed by religious organizations. NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher institute and other organizations have enthusiastically greeted the news that under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, steps are being taken to remove the onus of providing contraceptive coverage from employers in instances where providing such coverage would violate religious principles.
“This is very much what the administration spelled out a year ago,” said Adam Sonfield, a Senior Public Policy Associated at the Guttmacher Institute, an international nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of sexual and reproductive health. In an interview with Raw Story on Friday, he said, “There is a religious exemption for churches and other purely religious organizations. There’s also an accommodation for a broader range of nonprofit organizations that put themselves out as being religious.”
The new proposals, said Sonfield, “set up a mechanism so make the accommodation work so that that employers don’t have to touch contraception in any way. They won’t have to contract for it. They won’t have to talk to their employees about it. They won’t have to pay for it.”
Instead, a “third-party issuer” will handle issues related to birth control and contraceptives. Sonfield emphasized that for the employees, this coverage will be “seamless and automatic,” by dint of a “small, separate policy,” usually with their own insurer, dedicated solely to contraceptive coverage.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue released a statement praising the administration.
Continue reading at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/01/hhs-takes-final-steps-toward-near-universal-contraception-coverage/
See Also The New York Times: Birth Control Rule Altered to Allay Religious Objections
