Letter to President Obama

Letter

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1), co-Chair of the House Pro-Choice Caucus led 65 Members of the House in urging President Barack Obama to secure free preventive care for women in the Affordable Care Act, including contraceptive methods and counseling. DeGette and the Members sent the President a letter opposing any efforts to exempt employers from following the law, given increased pressure by Catholic bishops and others to exempt faith-based universities, hospitals, and institutions. Doing so would deny critical coverage to 800,000 people working at Catholic hospitals; 300,000 employed at religious schools; and 1.7 million students attending 900 religiously affiliated colleges.

The letter is available online here.

Dear President Obama,

We write to express our continued support for free preventive care including contraceptive methods and counseling under the Affordable Care Act. A woman's decision on how and when to build her family is a matter of her own conscience. The "conscience" of an employer or an insurance company should not impede a woman's access to birth control without cost-sharing under any circumstances. We oppose any efforts to further exempt employers from following the law.

Free preventive care is required under section 2713 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In July, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended which women's preventive services should be covered by new health plans without cost-sharing. Among the list of recommended women's preventive services is the full range of FDA-approved contraceptive methods and counseling. On August 1, HHS issued guidelines to adopt these recommendations. We fully support increasing and protecting women's access to birth control. We oppose any efforts to circumvent a woman's conscience. American women won't stand for it.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Diane DeGette

and Members of the House Pro-Choice Caucus

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