Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official views of Her Campus.
Another blow has been dealt to women across the United States in what seems to be an ongoing battle between the Trump administration and women’s rights. The Department of Health and Human Services moved to dismantle the previous mandate put into place during the Obama administration which required employers to include birth control in their health insurance plans for employees.
According to the New York Times, under the new legislation, employers can now decide whether or not birth control will be covered under employee health insurance on the basis of moral and religious exemptions. However, a recent article from The Hill states, “Under the Affordable Care Act, religious organizations already had the ability to opt out of providing birth control, but the ACA still ensured their employees could get coverage through other means.” So, let’s look at this for what it really is, yet another move by the current administration to systematically strip away basic freedoms and privileges that all women are entitled to.
The results of a study by the Obama administration revealed that over 55 million women have access to affordable contraceptives as a result of the original mandate under the Affordable Care Act. While the Trump administration’s new legislation might seem like a victory for the religious right, it largely ignores the thousands of women who use birth control for reasons other than to prevent pregnancies. It’s estimated that thousands of women across the country will lose their contraceptive benefits under healthcare insurance, and this may only be the start. With an administration who’s made it clear that women’s healthcare is not a priority, who knows what the future holds.