Many women across the United States are still paying for contraception, even though the law says it’s free some insurance providers are not getting the message. Since the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare enacted in 2010, there has been an indeed change to our healthcare. But does the plan ensures women can get birth control without a copay? Not entirely. It is debatable that no act or law is perfect, everything has its faults. However, the coverage for contraception has become a huge burden on patients who don’t have access to it. The act was supposed to help make prevention affordable and worldwide accessible by having insurance plans to cover these services. But, the contraceptive coverage didn’t take effect until 2013.
Birth control pills are supposed to be provided for free under Obamacare Yet, many women are being charged for them in pharmacies. Here is the catch though, mainly women who have private health insurance can get contraception for free.
You may ask which contraceptive methods are provided as free. According to the government’s website regarding to health care:
Only FDA-approved contraceptive methods that were prescribed by her doctor are covered:
- Barrier methods, such as diaphragms and sponges
- Hormonal methods, such as birth control pills and vaginal rings
- Implanted devices, such as intrauterine devices (IUDS)
- Emergency contraception, such as Plan B and Ella
- Sterilization procedures
- Patient education and counseling
They also included that plans do not cover drugs to induce abortions and services for male reproductive capacity, such as vasectomy.
The law conspicuously states that the mentioned contraceptive methods are covered, yet some women are still charged under their health plan. The truth is that certain insurers are not providing full coverage for methods such as contraceptive rings, patches and IUDS. Some women prefer other contraceptive methods instead of the birth control pills and depending on their health plans; those insurers could make you co-pay or denying the method you preferred. The truth is those insurers and pharmacists making you pay are not getting it and it makes the overall process of obtaining contraception harder, especially low-income patients.
Low-income patients face multiple adversities in filling their birth control prescriptions. Yes, Obamacare requires insurance providers to cover the FDA-approved contraceptive methods. But, does it cover it all? The coverage only includes one method from each category of contraception.
According to Guttmatcher Institute on oral contraceptives, minority women and those who are low-income, mainly between the ages of 18 and 24, are facing high rates of unintended pregnancy due to the limited access of contraceptives. Many women depend on birth control more than the other contraceptive methods.
Will a problem in getting contraception for free solve on its own?
We can only just wait for those insurers to get along with the Obamacare in the future. However, it does not erase the fact that women are struggling to get full coverage on contraception.
