The Biden administration has withdrawn a proposal aimed at limiting employers’ ability to opt out of birth control coverage, maintaining the status quo established during the Trump era.
At a Glance
- Biden administration withdraws proposed regulations on birth control coverage exemptions
- Trump-era regulations allowing broad exemptions for employers remain in place
- Conservative groups welcome the decision
- Withdrawal affects an estimated 130,000 people’s access to contraceptive coverage
- Decision preserves religious and moral autonomy in health coverage
Biden Administration Backs Down on Birth Control Mandate
In a move that has surprised many, the Biden administration has decided to withdraw proposed regulations that would have narrowed employers’ abilities to opt out of providing birth control coverage.
That’s…weird.
This decision effectively maintains the Trump-era policies that allow broad exemptions for employers based on religious or moral objections to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate.
Something must be afoot.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the rescission of these regulations, which would have prohibited exemptions based on “non-religious moral objections” to the ACA’s contraception mandate. This withdrawal leaves in place the current rules that allow companies to forgo providing birth control coverage if it contravenes their beliefs.
Conservative Groups Celebrate Decision
Conservative organizations, particularly those advocating for religious liberty, have welcomed the administration’s decision. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which has been at the forefront of legal battles supporting religious exemptions, expressed their approval of the withdrawal.
“Christmas came a little early this year,” the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty said.
The Biden administration had initially estimated that the proposed rule changes would have made approximately 130,000 more people eligible for contraceptive coverage. With the withdrawal of these regulations, this expansion of coverage will not materialize, potentially affecting access to free birth control for many Americans.
The withdrawal of the proposed regulations means that the Trump-era rules allowing broad exemptions for employers will remain in effect. These rules permit private health plans to exclude contraceptive coverage for objecting employers, which has affected access to free contraceptives since 2018.
The Affordable Care Act originally required insurers to cover preventive health services, including contraception, at no cost to the patient. This provision had been credited with reducing unintended pregnancies. However, the current exemptions create a patchwork of coverage that varies depending on an employer’s beliefs and choices.
Any guesses why Biden is abandoning key policies like this when he only has a handful of days left before leaving the White House?
