The Latest Research, Commentary, And News From Health Affairs
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Dear John, A new study
shows that the Affordable Care Act’s birth control mandate substantially increased the use of long-term contraception among women with high-deductible health plans.
Tracking The ACA’s Impact On Women And Birth Control
Starting in 2013, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) required all private insurers to fully cover the cost of prescription contraception with zero cost sharing. This mandate had a major impact on women with high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), which have become increasingly common but are associated with higher out-of-pocket spending and less use of
preventive services.
Before passage of the ACA, long-acting reversiblecontraception (LARC), such as intrauterine devices, could cost patients several hundred dollars out of pocket in the form of deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance.
For more on the intersection between access, the Affordable Care Act, and spending, read the April 2021 issue. Today on Health Affairs Blog, Margaret M. Dotzel and coauthors argue that, to design an effective financing system for generic drug approvals, the FDA must balance the need to ensure sustainability with the goal of providing a level playing field for competition among firms of all sizes. Also, Meghan Peterson and coauthors discuss how difficult it is to obtain data on vaccination rates within correctional facilities, which limits our ability to track and improve on vaccine delivery to this highly vulnerable population. Are you enjoying our free COVID-19 research, blogs, and podcasts? Please consider supporting our work.
Health Affairs is planning a theme issue on racism and health, with an emphasis on structural racism, to be published in February 2022. We plan to publish approximately twenty peer-reviewed articles—including original research, analyses, commentaries, and Narrative Matters—from a diverse group of researchers, scholars, and community health leaders, among others.
We’re looking for content to help shape future research and policy.
Health Affairs thanks the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation for their generous support of this issue.
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