Oregon Senate urges HHS Department to cover contraceptives
Since the federal health care reform law was passed requiring health insurance plans to cover women’s preventative health care services without copay, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been debating whether contraceptives should be included as “preventative health care.” NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon and other reproductive rights organizations have been following this debate carefully, for if contraceptives are covered under the new law, it would be a significant victory for pro-choice groups, and rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion would be expected to decrease. The department will make their final decision in the fall. In advance of this decision, the Oregon State Senate passed a symbolic resolution urging HHS to include all prescription contraceptive drugs and devices in the list of women’s preventative health care services that will be covered at no copay to the insured. The measure affirms the Oregon legislature’s strong pro-choice stance, and desire to increase access to reproductive health services nationally. Read the resolution here.
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