President Obama’s Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Friday announced that she is moving ahead with implementing the contraception coverage mandate.
“The President’s policy respects religious liberty and makes free preventive services available to women,” Sebelius said in her statement. “Today’s announcement is the next step toward fulfilling that commitment.”
The mandate has been very controversial because it would force many religious institutions and employers to pay the full cost of sterilization, contraception, and abortifacient pills despite their religious objections. HHS also said that the final rule would apply to student health insurance plans offered by colleges.
The announcement came late Friday afternoon, on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, as the second day of March Madness basketball games were under way.
Sebelius’ announcement puts the regulatory wheels in motion to implement Obama’s policy by allowing a 90-day period for public comment, although the Health and Human Services Department is under no obligation to accept the recommendations made by the public.
You can read the proposed regulation here.
