Leaked Regulation Shows Trump Plans to Allow Insurers to Refuse to Cover Birth Control

INSIDER--The Trump administration is considering allowing any company or insurer to refuse to cover birth control, according to a leaked draft regulation obtained by Vox. 

Right now, health insurance plans must cover at least one of the 18 Food and Drug Administration-approved methods of birth control—as well as any specific contraceptive a woman's doctor recommends—at no cost to the patient. Houses of worship that have religious objections are exempt, while religiously affiliated non-profit and small for-profit employers may apply for an accommodation, under which a woman's insurance company must cover the cost of contraceptives. The leaked plan would allow any employer or university to seek an exemption without requiring insurers to pick up the slack.

The draft Vox obtained is dated May 23rd; it's unknown if it's been changed since then. The regulation is being assessed by the Office of Management and Budget and would go into effect as soon as it's published.

(Francie Diep is a staff writer at Pacific Standard, where she specializes in health and drug policy and the intersections of culture and science.)

-cw