Friday, January 20th, 2012 HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that church-affiliated institutions will only get one additional year to meet a new rule to cover birth control free of charge.
In the announcement HHS was quick to indicated that it did not apply to houses of worship such as churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship which were already exempted from the birth control coverage rule. The rule only applies to religious-affiliated employers such as hospitals, universities and such that have traditionally not provided any birth control for their employees.
Non church-affiliated institutions will have to comply with the new coverage regulations on plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2012. Church-affiliated institutions will have to comply with the new regulations on plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2013.
The new regulations seek to expand women’s access to preventive services under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
Overview:
PPACA requires “preventative services” as defined by HHS to be covered at 100% with no employee out-of-pocket expenses.
Effective Date:
Plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2012.
Coverage:
- Contraceptives and contraceptive counseling (FDA approved methods) Well-woman visits
- Screening for gestational diabetes
- DNA testing for HPV for women 30 years old and older
- Counseling about sexually transmitted infections
- Counseling and screening for HIV
- Counseling on breast-feeding, including breast-feeding equipment
- counseling on interpersonal and domestic violence
Additional information on the expanded women’s preventative services can be found at:
http://www.hrsa.gov/womensguidelines/
http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/womensprevention08012011a.html
http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2011-19684_PI.pdf
January 23, 2012
Employee Benefit & HR News, Healthcare Reform