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January 20, 2012

U.S. delays, but does not change, rule on contraceptive coverage

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is pictured in Geneva in 2010. The Obama administration has turned down repeated requests from Catholic bishops, schools and other entities to revise its religious exemption to its mandate that most private insurance policies provide no-cost contraceptive coverage. Sebelius announced Jan. 20 that nonprofit groups will get an additional year "to adapt to this new rule."

WASHINGTON - Although Catholic leaders vowed to fight on, the Obama administration has turned down repeated requests from Catholic bishops, hospitals, schools and charitable organizations to revise its religious exemption to the requirement that all health plans cover contraceptives and sterilization free of charge.

Instead, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced Jan. 20 that nonprofit groups that do not provide contraceptive coverage because of their religious beliefs will get an additional year "to adapt to this new rule."

Published in International
December 9, 2011

Girls under 17 must consult doctors to get 'morning-after pill'

The U.S. bishops' pro-life spokeswoman said Plan B One-Step, known generically as levonorgestrel, "is 40 times more potent than comparable progestin-only birth control pills for which a prescription is required" even for adult women.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. bishops' pro-life spokeswoman said she was relieved that the Obama administration has decided not to allow the Plan B One-Step "morning-after pill" to be sold without a prescription to those under 17.

"Luckily, things did not go from bad to even worse," Deirdre McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications at the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, told Catholic News Service Dec. 8. "We're pleased that they did not expand access to this very powerful drug."

McQuade said Plan B One-Step, known generically as levonorgestrel, "is 40 times more potent than comparable progestin-only birth control pills for which a prescription is required" even for adult women.

Published in International
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