Supreme Court Allows Employers and Universities to Deny Birth Control Coverage

Access to affordable birth control gutted amidst global health crisis

Reno, NV — This morning the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration in ruling that employers and universities can refuse to cover birth control under a religious or “moral” exemption in Trump v. Pennsylvania. This ruling is an egregious overreach that allows employers and universities to push their religious or moral beliefs on employees and students by denying them access to insurance that covers birth control. 

The Affordable Care Act’s birth control benefit expanded contraceptive coverage with no out-of-pocket costs for more than 62 million women, including 17 million Latinas and 15 million Black women. Because of this decision, many more businesses and universities will have the opportunity to opt out of providing this critical coverage. 

Statement from Lindsey Harmon, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada:  

“Allowing employers to opt out of providing coverage for birth control will disproportionately impact the ability of those with low incomes and communities of color to control their reproductive health. These are the same communities for whom basic health care has always remained out of reach because of historic and continued underinvestment in their access to affordable, quality care. 

“Birth control is critical, time-sensitive medication, and access to it that shouldn’t depend on your employer. Reproductive freedom should be a reality for all. As we continue to battle a global health crisis and its economic fallout, we need to expand access to reproductive health care like birth control, not take it away.” 

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