LANSING, Mich. — Ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson, Governor Gretchen Whitmer partnered with the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) to launch a new consumer website aimed at helping Michigan women understand insurance coverage for contraception and other related reproductive health services.
The DIFS says nearly all health plans are required to cover contraception and related healthcare services for women with no out-of-pocket cost, according to the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Specifically, the ACA requires non-exempt health plans to provide, with no out-of-pocket cost, at least one type of each of the 18 contraceptive methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as prescribed to women by a healthcare provider.
The governor’s office says the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently has taken the following actions to support reproductive health:
- Seeking and receiving approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to extend the postpartum coverage period for Medicaid in Michigan from 60 days after pregnancy to a full year, starting April 2022
- Updating Medicaid policy to provider coverage of up to a 12-month supply of prescribed contraceptives for enrollees at family planning clinics and pharmacies
- Proposing policy that would establish Medicaid coverage of doula services, contingent upon approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Doulas are trained birth workers who provide nonclinical emotional, physical and informational support to pregnant women and their families before, during and after birth.)
- Expanding access to evidence-based home visiting programs to better address health, housing, food security and safety during pregnancy and postpartum.
“MDHHS works tirelessly to provide medical coverage and services to the people of Michigan to help them live their healthiest lives.
“Access to affordable or no-cost contraception is vitally important when it comes to providing reproductive healthcare services to enable women to plan for pregnancy at a time that works best for themselves and their family,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel.
The governor’s office says contraception is used often to treat medical conditions, to treat certain menstruation symptoms and for family planning purposes.
“At some point in her life, nearly every woman will use contraception to either treat a health condition or for family planning purposes. These treatments have never been more important for women’s health and it’s our goal to make them affordable and accessible.
“In light of the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, we are doing all we can to make sure that contraception and other reproductive health services remain accessible to the Michiganders who count on them. I will work with anyone to keep women safe and help them plan their families on their own terms,” said Governor Whitmer.
For more information about low-to-no-cost reproductive health services provided by the state of Michigan, visit MDHHS’ Family Planning Program website.
