New Rule Would Make It Easier to Get Birth Control

With about two weeks to go until Election Day, the White House is proposing a plan that emphasizes Kamala Harris' focus on reproductive rights. The proposed rule would allow people to get free over-the-counter contraceptives—including condoms, birth-control pills, and morning-after pills—through their private insurance plans, reports the New York Times. The Affordable Care Act currently requires insurance plans to cover contraception costs under a doctor's prescription, but plans don't have to cover items available over the counter, notes the Washington Post. The proposed rule, issued jointly by the departments of health and human services, labor, and treasury, would change that, per Roll Call.

"While we fight to protect and expand health care, extremist so-called leaders are attacking reproductive freedom at every turn," said Harris in a statement. "Republicans in Congress have repeatedly blocked legislation to protect the right to contraception across the country." The White House says it will push to put the new rule into effect before the end of the year, but that could be tough given the requirement of a 60-day comment period and related red tape usually involved with such changes, notes the Post. In June, Harris warned that the Supreme Court signaled it would go after the right to contraception when overturning Roe v. Wade, citing Clarence Thomas' warning about "erroneous" decisions previously made by the court regarding the right to privacy. (More Election 2024 stories.)