Frankel Seeks Legislative Response to Hobby Lobby Decision
Washington, DC,
July 9, 2014
Tags:
Women's Health Care
Today, Congresswoman Frankel joined her Pro-Choice Caucus colleagues in introducing The Not My Boss’ Business Act. The legislation fixes the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. The Affordable Care Act requires employer sponsored health insurance to include preventative care, including contraception, with no out-of-pocket costs to individuals. The Court’s decision allows closely-held companies to be exempt from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraception benefit because of the religious beliefs of the company’s owners. “Despite what the Supreme Court seems to think, life does not begin at incorporation. Employers belong in the workplace, not in a doctor's office,” said Frankel. “A woman’s family planning decisions are not her boss’ business.” The newly filed legislation would prevent corporate employers from using their religious beliefs to deny employee coverage for contraception, or any other vital health service required by federal law. It would keep in place the existing exemption for religious employers, such as houses of worship, and the accommodation for religious non-profit organizations. Allowing corporate employers to deny contraceptive coverage could be both costly to families and dangerous for women’s health. Nearly 30 million women are now covered by this important benefit, at a savings of $483 million in out-of-pocket costs just for oral contraceptives. And, a recent study, published online in Obstetrics & Gynecology, found that offering cost-free contraception reduces abortion rates by over 75%.
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