FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 11, 2015
Contact: Audrey Sandusky, 202-293-3114 ext. 207

NFPRHA Applauds HHS’ Commitment to Protecting Access to Birth Control

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) commends the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for affirming that women should have access to the full range of FDA-approved methods of contraception with no financial burden, as detailed in new guidance issued today on the Affordable Care Act’s women’s preventive health services benefit.

The frequently asked questions (FAQ) document, released by HHS, the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury, makes clear that all non-grandfathered private insurance plans are required to cover one of each of the 18 contraceptive methods with no cost-sharing. The guidance further clarifies that any contraceptive-related service must also be covered with no cost-sharing.

“A difference in contraceptive method is not superficial. It matters to women and men that they have a choice of method that is appropriate for their own health and circumstances,” said Clare Coleman, President & CEO of NFPRHA. “We commend HHS for issuing guidance that will put an end to egregious insurance plan practices that are threatening access to contraception and other basic preventive health benefits.”

The guidance comes weeks before a historic milestone for women’s health, the 50th anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, a landmark Supreme Court case that first recognized the right to privacy in family planning decisions and legalized birth control for married couples.

On behalf of publicly funded family planning network of administrators and clinicians across the country, NFPRHA is committed to ensuring family planning coverage for all women and men, regardless of income or insurance status.

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NFPRHA represents the broad spectrum of family planning administrators and clinicians serving the nation's low-income and uninsured. NFPRHA’s more than 840 member organizations operate or fund a network of nearly 5,000 health centers and service sites that provide comprehensive family planning services to millions of low-income and uninsured or underinsured individuals in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

 

National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association

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Phone: 202-293-3114  |  info@nfprha.org

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