Gov. Andrew Cuomo vows New York will continue contraception coverage

New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo talks to members... — New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo talks to members of the media who are waiting to get off of a boat after sections of the old Kosciuszko Bridge were demolished using a process called energetic felling on both the Queens and Brooklyn sides of the Newtown Creek, Sunday,Oct. 1, 2017. The energetic felling required the placement of little charges at key joints on the bridge so that when the charges went off, the bridge broke apart and fell directly down. Credit: Charles Eckert

By Annalise KnudsonStaten Island AdvanceOctober 10, 2017

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (TNS) -- Despite the Trump administration's move to roll back a requirement for most employers to provide free birth control as part of health insurance coverage, Gov. Andrew Cuomo clarified that New York state's regulations will still mandate the coverage.

On Friday, the administration and the U.S. Health and Human Services Department issued new rules to allow any employer to opt out of the Affordable Care Act requirement to cover all FDA-approved contraception if the employer shows religious or moral objection.

"The federal administration's decision to allow employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women is disgraceful," Cuomo said in a statement. "This major loophole for employers is a direct assault on women's rights and shows a callous disregard for the millions of women who rely on birth control for an assortment of critical medical needs."

In January, Cuomo announced a series of actions to secure reproductive health services in the state.

Through regulatory action, the state will ensure contraceptive drugs, devices and abortion services are covered by commercial health insurance policies without co-pays, coinsurance or deductibles, regardless of the Affordable Care Act's future.

"Women deserve complete autonomy over their bodies and reproductive decisions. Make no mistake - in New York, we will always protect a woman's right to choose," Cuomo said in a statement.

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