Illinois House passes expanded insurance coverage for contraceptives

After a lengthy debate over an array of issues concerning the beginning of life, contraception, abortifacients and whether employers should be required to provide insurance coverage for all forms of prescription contraceptives, the Illinois House voted to pass HB 5576 with a 61 to 52 Thursday morning.

The sponsor and supporters pointed to the insensitivity of "white men" who opposed the legislation in House committee testimony because of the costs HB 5576 would add to employers' health care requirements. Both the state's Chamber of Commerce and several insurance companies opposed the legislation.

The McHenry County Right to Life said that HB 5576 greatly expands the definition of "contraceptives" and reproductive" medical procedures and will force employers and individual health insurance policy holders to pay for abortifacients (abortion-inducing drugs) and interfere with religious liberties as in the cases of Hobby Lobby and Little Sisters of the Poor.

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