Now is the time to stand up for women's access to healthcare, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a recent statement.
Becerra issued his statement almost a year after the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a woman's right to an abortion, according to a June 7 news release. Becerra also referred to an even older Supreme Court decision about contraception, Griswold v. Connecticut.
"On the 58th anniversary of the landmark Griswold decision, the Department of Health and Human Services, along with the Biden-Harris administration, remains deeply committed to protecting and strengthening women's access to contraception and family planning services," Becerra said in the release. "As women's access to essential health care and their fundamental freedoms are under attack across the nation, we stand firm in our commitment to defending access to health care – including reproductive health care. No one should be denied care because of who they are."
Becerra's statement also referred to Health and Human Services' expansion of birth control access under the Affordable Care Act, along with the departments of Labor and Treasury, the release reported. The three departments proposed a rule to strengthen birth control coverage under the act, which now requires most plans offer birth control coverage with no out-of-pocket cost.
To date, millions of women have benefited from this coverage, according to the release. This rule proposes to expand and strengthen access to this coverage so that all women who need or want birth control are able to obtain it.
The release also referred to a provision of technical assistance that began in December to ensure access to family planning services at Health Resources and Services Administration health centers, the release reported. The technical assistance reiterates statutory and regulatory requirements for patients to receive family planning services and also includes evidence-based recommendations and resources for those health centers to provide services.
Also in December, Health and Human Services helped the Federal Drug Administration about the emergency contraceptive Plan B One Step, the release said. FDA approved changes to the contraceptive's labeling about "how the drug works and to reduce consumer confusion."
