Sen. Boxer
Thank you for contacting me regarding a proposed federal rule requiring private health insurance plans to provide access to preventive services such as contraception. As you may know, churches and other religious groups are exempted from this rule, and President Obama has announced a compromise under which other types of religiously affiliated employers with objections to covering contraceptive services in their employees' health plans will not be required to provide, pay for, or refer for contraception coverage; in these cases, insurance companies, not religiously affiliated employers, will be required to directly offer access to contraception.
Sen. Feinstein
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for an amendment introduced by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.
I understand you support Senator Blunt's amendment, which would authorize employers to decline to cover any health service authorized by the health reform law on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions.
I oppose efforts to restrict access to preventative health benefits such as contraception. In addition to preventing unplanned pregnancies and reducing the number of abortions, oral contraception is also often prescribed to treat medical issues. Since my election to the Senate, I have strongly supported access to comprehensive reproductive care for all women.
As you know, there has been substantial debate regarding the requirement that employers provide no-cost contraception coverage for their employees.
The Obama Administration recently finalized its policy to include contraception coverage as part of the preventive health services recommended for women. The policy stated that employers are required to provide no-cost contraception or another option to their employees, with a narrow exemption for religious employers.
On February 10, 2012, the Administration announced an accommodation to this policy, which will expand the exemption to organizations with religious affiliations, such as hospitals and universities. The accommodation requires health insurance companies to directly offer contraception at no-cost to employees if the employer with religious affiliations declines to pay for this coverage.
The Administration's accommodation solidifies its commitment to respecting religious and moral beliefs while ensuring women have access to contraception – a proven preventative health benefit.
