Policy Problem: How do corporations with religious objections to contraceptive coverage in employee healthcare plans reconcile with the ACA’s requirement that women be given coverage for contraceptive care.
Corporations with religious objections to contraception oppose contraception on religious grounds that it is morally wrong and tantamount to God’s will. But the nation has a dissimilar opinion on this and through President Obama proposed that there be free access to birth control for any woman. He achieved this through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also known as “Obama care” which requires that all institutions affiliated with a religion shift the cost of coverage of contraception to their insurance companies. The new insurance plans should include contraception coverage with no copay thus providing affordable access to contraceptives. The rule does not apply to houses of worship and churches.
The Act was passed in congress in the fall of 2013 then passed onto States who are to ensure they set up their own insurance market places. Though marked by political turmoil the insurance marketplaces have been opened on time since funding under ACA doesn’t need annual approval of congress. Companies are anticipated to conform with the Act or face the full repercussion of the law.
Some of the glitches that will be met are implementation problems in States that have refused to set up their own marketplaces. They instead want the federal government to set up and manage those systems. There is also inadequate implementation where insurers exclude certain types of contraception from coverage or even require cost-sharing for one. This is not as stipulated in the Act and is illegal.
In conclusion I concur that as much as my client does not support contraception basing it on religious grounds, the employees who work for them should be given the liberty to decide on whether to accept or reject it. The corporation allows them to do so by giving them the option of insurance and leaves them with the right to make that decision.
