New Insurance Plans To Cover Women's Health Services In 2012

By: Kafi Drexel

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Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced today that starting in 2012, women with health insurance will no longer be charged copays for birth control and other preventative treatment as part of the president's health care reform law. NY1’s Kafi Drexel filed the following report.

Starting next year, new insurance plans are going to have to start providing a wide range of women's preventive health services without requiring a copayment or deductible for everything from birth control to breast pumps.

In a conference call with reporters, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said it's designed to stop costly health problems from starting.

“The announcement we're making today will help ensure that millions of mothers, sisters and daughters around the country won't have to think twice about getting the preventive care they need to stay healthy,” said Sebelius.

The rules apply to all new insurance plans beginning on or after next August 1. They're expected to affect more than 34 million women between the ages of 18 and 64.

The plans will also have to cover gynecological check-ups and screening for gestational diabetes and HIV. They’ll also cover cervical cancer tests for women 30 and older.

Most services also come with counseling, all at no cost to the patient, which is a big factor for many.

“Many women skip going to the doctor because of the copayments,” said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, director of New York University’s Center for Women’s Health. “In fact, in my own practice I have women who have their last baby and there's a 20 year lapse between coming to me and the last time they've been to a doctor.”

Health officials say half of women put off preventive care because of the cost, and a 2009 study shows 30 percent of low and middle-income women don't use contraceptives because they can't afford it..

“It is very upsetting to know that many sexually active women are unable to plan out their lives about when to be able to have a family and when not,” said Marci Rosa of Public Health Solutions.

Since some groups opposed government coverage for contraception, religious institutions will be allowed to opt out of that portion of the plan.