Post by pavel on Apr 21, 2016 4:25:45 GMT -6
Sen. Jason Rapert is on a crusade against emergency contraception, which he says is "killing little babies," against medical evidence. Today, Gov. Asa Hutchinson stated in a letter that he would seek waivers from the federal government to end coverage of the morning after pill in Medicaid, both the private option and traditional Medicaid. That doesn't mean the feds will agree to those requests — more on that below.
Rapert originally planned to attach an amendment to the Medicaid appropriation on this matter, but he was satisfied with the governor's letter and withdrew the amendment.
This began last week when Rapert expressed shock that the private option was covering the morning after pill. His surprise was strange because the private option has covered Plan B from the beginning, just as every private health insurance plan in the country is mandated to cover emergency contraception by the Affordable Care Act (there are some very limited exceptions to that requirement, such as for religious institutions). The Obama administration issued a rule last year making it crystal clear that Plan B had to be covered (though typically only with a prescription; an over-the-counter purchase would not be covered). It is a requirement under federal law. Presumably, Rapert's own health insurance plan covers Plan B.
For that reason, the governor's request to the feds on the private option is going nowhere. The private option covers non-disabled adults who make less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level by using Medicaid funds to purchase private health care plans for low-income Arkansans. Those private plans are regulated by the ACA and must cover the morning after pill (though typically only with a prescription; an over-the-counter purchase would not be covered). Any request by the governor to bar the morning after pill from these plans will be turned down.
Read more: www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2016/04/19/governor-agrees-to-do-jason-raperts-bidding-pursue-waivers-to-stop-medicaid-coverage-of-morning-after-pill
Rapert originally planned to attach an amendment to the Medicaid appropriation on this matter, but he was satisfied with the governor's letter and withdrew the amendment.
This began last week when Rapert expressed shock that the private option was covering the morning after pill. His surprise was strange because the private option has covered Plan B from the beginning, just as every private health insurance plan in the country is mandated to cover emergency contraception by the Affordable Care Act (there are some very limited exceptions to that requirement, such as for religious institutions). The Obama administration issued a rule last year making it crystal clear that Plan B had to be covered (though typically only with a prescription; an over-the-counter purchase would not be covered). It is a requirement under federal law. Presumably, Rapert's own health insurance plan covers Plan B.
For that reason, the governor's request to the feds on the private option is going nowhere. The private option covers non-disabled adults who make less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level by using Medicaid funds to purchase private health care plans for low-income Arkansans. Those private plans are regulated by the ACA and must cover the morning after pill (though typically only with a prescription; an over-the-counter purchase would not be covered). Any request by the governor to bar the morning after pill from these plans will be turned down.
Read more: www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2016/04/19/governor-agrees-to-do-jason-raperts-bidding-pursue-waivers-to-stop-medicaid-coverage-of-morning-after-pill