White House amends rules on contraception

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration on Friday moved to enact new rules that help ensure contraception coverage for employees of certain companies that have religious objections to birth control.

The new rule would seek to isolate the employers from the coverage they found morally objectionable. They would be able to notify the government of their objections, which in turn would notify the insurance companies and order them to provide the coverage at no cost.

Without the change, the religious-minded employers have to contact the insurance companies directly.

It was unclear if the new approach would avert legal challenges.

“Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to providing women with access to coverage for contraception, while respecting religious considerations raised by non-profit organizations and closely held for-profit companies,” Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said in a statement.

Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, supported the HHS moves.

“At this time when opponents of women’s health are taking extreme steps to deny women coverage for birth control, we applaud the Obama administration for taking steps to protect this essential coverage,” Ness said.

But Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion public interest law firm, criticized the HHS moves as a violation of the “conscience rights of Americans.”

The Obama administration wants Congress to enact legislation ensuring birth control coverage for women affected by the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision, said Eric Schultz, White House deputy press secretary.

“We believe that Congress can and should act to ensure that any women affected by recent Supreme Court actions get the same coverage, options that everyone else is offered,” he said. “Legislative action is the quickest and best way to ensure that women get access to the services they need, and we call on Congress to act quickly.”