Groups Hold “Not My Boss’s Business” Rally for Women’s Health and Rights at Supreme Court

March 25, 2014

NNEDV Supports Birth Control Coverage for Employees

March 25, 2014 – The National Network to End Domestic Violence joined supporters of women’s health and rights, including Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the National Women’s Law Center, NOW, Feminist Majority, NARAL Pro-Choice America and more than 40 organizations, in a rally today at the Supreme Court. The Court heard arguments in two cases brought by executives at for-profit corporations to challenge the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that employers provide coverage for contraception as part of an employee’s health plan.

The cases, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius, could jeopardize access to affordable birth control for millions of women. It could also set a dangerous precedent in which the moral judgments of a company owner are effectively substituted for the personal decisions of their employees.

“For domestic violence victims, having access to birth control is vitally important,” said NNEDV president and CEO Kim Gandy. “Abusers often intentionally interfere with contraception as a means of exerting power and control over their partner. Under the ACA, women have access to this important preventive care at no additional cost.”

Birth control is tremendously important to women for all kinds of reasons, including to control certain medical conditions and to plan their families. After decades of discriminatory coverage by insurance companies, the birth control benefit requires all new insurance policies to cover birth control with no out-of-pocket cost to women – because it’s preventive care. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 27 million women nationally are already eligible for this benefit. When the law is fully implemented, 47 million women nationally will have access to no-copay birth control thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

NNEDV is proud to join with women’s organizations, doctors, low-wage worker groups, students, LGBT and faith groups – and the 7 in 10 Americans who believe that health insurance companies should be required to cover the full cost of birth control, just as they do for other preventive services.