AG James Combats Trump Administration Attempts To Limit Birth Control Access

AG James Combats Trump Administration 
Attempts to Limit Birth Control Access

NEW YORK – Attorney General James, joined by a coalition of 15 attorneys general, today urged the Trump Administration to immediately comply with the court-ordered injunction in California v. Azar. The injunction halted the Trump Administration’s attempt to strip access to cost-free birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite the clear injunction from the court, the Trump Administration has yet to update its website and inform the public about the injunction and its impact on their contraceptive coverage.

“Employers have no role in making healthcare decisions for their employees,” said Attorney General James. “As the Trump Administration attempts to dismantle safe, reliable reproductive care options, I will continue working with my counterparts across the nation to ensure women have access to the healthcare they need and deserve.”

Since the ACA’s Women’s Health Amendment was put into place in 2012, 62 million women have benefitted from this provision. On October 6, 2017, the Trump Administration issued ill-conceived rules that allowed virtually any employer to deny women cost-free birth control guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. A multi-state coalition of attorneys general secured a nationwide injunction in December of 2017. Nearly a year later, the Trump Administration issued final rules that were nearly identical to the interim final rules. A multi-state coalition of attorneys general again challenged the rule and secured yet another injunction, protecting access to birth control for millions of women across the country.

Despite that injunction being in place, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor websites state that employers can opt out of providing contraceptive coverage, in violation of the court orders. Further, another HHS webpage lists all of the preventive services mandated under the ACA, but does not include contraceptive coverage.

In today’s letter, Attorney General James, along with the attorney generals of California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, urged the Trump Administration to comply with the injunction.