Leaked Birth Control Rule Expands Ability to Discriminate Against Women

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2017
Contact: Christie Petrone, 646-520-3504, [email protected]

Statement by National Institute for Reproductive Health President Andrea Miller

“The leaked draft of the Trump administration’s plan to roll back access to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraceptive coverage mandate details a frightening scenario that would restrict access to affordable birth control for hundreds of thousands of women. The most egregious components expand the religious exemption beyond houses of worship to include all employers and insurance companies and make the accommodations optional — putting women’s health and lives at the mercy of their employers.

“The ability to decide whether and when to have a child is fundamental to women’s full equality and participation in society. Americans overwhelmingly support access to affordable contraception; legislators in 21 states and the District of Columbia introduced legislation in 2017 that would safeguard women’s contraceptive coverage against an anticipated federal attack. Since the implementation of the ACA, five states have strengthened the federal requirements by passing these contraceptive equity bills.

“The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) strongly urges the Trump administration to stand down on this regulation change.  Regardless of what happens at the federal level, NIRH will continue to pro-actively arm states across the country with the tools they need to pass legislation that safeguards access to abortion and contraception. We will not be deterred by this anti-choice president’s continued attempts to strip away women’s reproductive autonomy.”

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The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) builds power at the state and local levels to change public policy, galvanize public support, and normalize women’s decisions about abortion and contraception.