Obama’s Contraception Coverage Compromise Will Increase Healthcare Cost

Contraception Coverage Compromise Could Raise Costs
For the Bzillenth time, in 3 years, Obama states his administrations policy only to change his mind when confronted by voters that could cause him{Obama} to loose in his 2012 reelection bid for a second term in office.

Obama administration’s signature piece of legislation – health-care reform – targets excessive administrative fees as a primary reason health-care costs have spiraled out of control in recent years.

Ironically, some experts say the president’s concession on contraception coverage announced Friday does exactly that – contribute to excessive administrative fees.

The president, facing a growing controversy fueled by angry religious organizations, said religious employers will not be required to offer free birth control to their employees as part of their insurance coverage.

Instead, that responsibility has been diverted to insurers, according to the administration’s compromise. The new requirement mandates that insurers provide workers at religious entities such as Catholic universities or hospitals with “contraceptive care free of charge.”

Dr. Merrill Matthews said “There is no such thing as ‘free of charge.’ It’s a complete ruse.” It doesn’t come free. People actually pay for it and there’s an administrative cost added to it.”
Matthews explained how administrative fees are likely to rise under the Obama administration’s compromise plan, since religious employers will not be held responsible for their employees’ contraception coverage the burden is shifted to the insurers. Insurers will now have to administer that coverage and that will certainly cost the insurers extra money.

Tom Miller, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute said “the issue became a political eyesore for the Obama administration, hence Friday’s change in policy. The compromise essentially does little more than provide fig leaf cover for some of the president’s Democratic allies who were getting heat for the original mandate.

The regulation which ignited the controversy requires religious affiliated groups such as hospitals, colleges and charities to provide their employees with coverage for birth control. Actual churches were exempted from the rule.

The Catholic Church, which opposes all forms of artificial contraception, loudly criticized the mandate as did many Republican opponents of the president.