Commissioned by the Obama administration to recommend which preventive medical services should be covered under the nation s health care overhaul, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) an independent, nonprofit organization reported yesterday that all U.S.-approved birth control contraceptives be included as part of that list. If the IOM advisory is implemented, all birth control methods including the Plan B morning after pill would be covered by insurance without co-pay.
The report states that such a measure would help reduce the toll of unplanned pregnancies, especially since women with unplanned pregnancies are less likely to seek prenatal care and are more likely to smoke, drink, or experience depression.
It seems quite clear that the IOM s decision to include contraception as a preventive health service is correct, since unintended pregnancies are a major drain on women s productivity in the economy, as well as a major reason why America has such a high abortion rate, says ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross.
