Republican Gov. Signs Most Comprehensive Birth Control Law in The Nation

(CNSNews.com) – Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has signed into law what’s being called the most sweeping birth control legislation in the country.

Last week Hogan signed the “Contraceptive Equity Act,” which prohibits insurers from charging a co-payment for any federally-approved method of birth control, including aborti-facients and sterilization.

“Family planning is essential for women’s rights, and cost is a factor in family planning,” Maryland Del. Ariana B. Kelly (D-Montgomery), the lead sponsor of the bill in the House, said in a May 10 Washington Post article on the law. “This legislation is going to help eliminate barriers and reduce costs for women and for men.”

The law – which was signed last week and goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2018 – covers insurance plans regulated by the state and expands the coverage already provided through Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor, according to the Post.

The Baltimore Sun reported that the Maryland law “goes further than President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.”

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