The Obama administration announced on Monday that health insurance plans must cover birth control with no copays, among other reproductive health care services, as preventative care for women. The requirement will apply to health care plans beginning on or after August 1, 2012. The announcement comes just a month after Health and Human Services released a recommendation that sought to expand preventative services for women under Obama’s health care law.In addition to birth control, the expansion will cover breast pumps for nursing mothers, an annual “well-woman” physical, including screening for the virus that causes cervical cancer, HIV, and gestational diabetes, as well as counseling for domestic violence.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=108845