The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new rules on August 1, 2011 related to federal health care reform. The rules require new health insurance plans to cover women’s preventive care without charging a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible. The services to be covered include well-woman visits, breastfeeding support, contraception, and domestic violence screening, among others. The coverage requirement applies to new health insurance policies with plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2012. The rules include an exemption for religious organizations, which can choose not to cover contraception services.
