State employees left out of expanded contraception access under new Maryland law

The Baltimore Sun (Feb. 16, 2018): State employees left out of expanded contraception access under new Maryland law, by Meredith Cohn:

A new Maryland state law expanding access to contraception took effect on January 1, but the law surprisingly omits one group from the new benefits: state employees.

Maryland's Contraceptive Equity Act requires insurers to offer up to six months of contraceptive pills at one time with no copay, and also requires the provision of most other forms of birth control without cost, including Plan B, the over-the-counter morning-after pill. Women no longer need pre-authorization from their insurance provider for implants and IUDs. The law requires insurers to cover sterilization for men without charging out-of-pocket.

Now, Baltimore County Del. Shelly Hettleman has introduced legislation to fix the state employee loophole and ensure that almost 110,000 Maryland state employees can enjoy the new law's benefits. The Maryland Insurance Administration reports that the state is currently exempt because the new law only applies to state-regulated plans. Currently, the state government is mostly self-insured and only regulated by federal law.

According to the National Institute for Reproductive Health, about a dozen states have enacted laws ensuring access coverage of contraception.