Idaho contraceptives bill gets new life
BOISE – A measure to allow Idaho employers to ignore new federal rules requiring them to cover contraception in their insurance plans survived efforts to kill it Monday.
Instead, supportive Republican lawmakers on the House Health and Welfare Committee agreed to let sponsor Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett, make changes to allay their fears it could keep patients who use prescription birth control for medical reasons besides contraception from receiving necessary treatment.
“I support the motives of the sponsor, but the potential unintended consequences might be something they want to address,” said Rep. Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly.
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Bilbao, a devout Catholic, aims to challenge a recent Obama administration decision seeking to guarantee reproductive health coverage for employees of religion-affiliated institutions. That includes contraception, sterilization and abortion drugs.
more: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/21/idaho-contraceptives-bill-gets-new-life/
