Under the new rules, publicly traded for-profit companies can opt out of the so-called contraception mandate by citing a religious or a moral belief, whether or not the company has a religious purpose. Under Barack Obama, only religiously affiliated employers such as Christian colleges and companies with a “closely held” ownership structure were eligible to opt out of the contraception mandate based on religious beliefs. The president of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr Haywood Brown, said the Trump administration was “focused on turning back the clock on women’s health”. With the new rules, the Trump administration has substantially weakened one of the most controversial ACA policies, one that greatly expanded access to affordable contraception. The Trump rules allow these and other employers to stop providing contraception coverage without notifying the government – although they would need to notify employees.

Source: The Guardian October 06, 2017 16:14 UTC