{"id":39506,"date":"2022-01-20T19:03:50","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T19:03:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/01\/20\/lawmakers-urge-secdef-to-drop-tricare-copays-for-birth-control\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:16:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:16:17","slug":"lawmakers-urge-secdef-to-drop-tricare-copays-for-birth-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2022\/01\/20\/lawmakers-urge-secdef-to-drop-tricare-copays-for-birth-control\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers urge SECDEF to drop TRICARE copays for birth control"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A group of 141 House lawmakers is pressing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2022\/01\/02\/defense-secretary-lloyd-austin-has-coronavirus-symptoms-mild\/\" target=\"_blank\">Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin<\/a> to waive TRICARE copays for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-navy\/2021\/11\/03\/women-in-the-navy-marine-corps-most-likely-to-use-iuds-birth-control-implants-across-services-study-finds\/\" target=\"_blank\">contraceptive purchases and services<\/a>, calling it a matter of fairness for military members and retirees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a letter released Thursday, the lawmakers \u2014 led by members of the Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus \u2014 noted that such services are covered by private insurance plans but not military health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs a result, military families have fewer rights than those they serve to protect,\u201d the group wrote. \u201cFor example, a dependent of an active-duty servicemember \u2026 is subject to copays for contraception which, depending on the method, may involve paying out-of-pocket for counseling, the contraceptive method, and insertion and removal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2021\/11\/03\/women-in-the-navy-marine-corps-most-likely-to-use-iuds-birth-control-implants-across-services-study-finds\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1000w_q95-6-6.jpg-6.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Women in the Navy, Marines most likely to use IUDs, birth control implants across services<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Navy&#039;s healthcare system has 22 walk-in contraception clinics.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The move follows an attempt by lawmakers to change the rules regarding contraceptive access and copays in the annual defense authorization bill last year. The idea was included in early versions of the legislation, but conservative lawmakers successfully lobbied to get the provisions removed from the final draft approved in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now advocates are pushing for a different approach, urging Austin to declare the contraceptive services as \u201cpreventative medical care.\u201d The designation would allow him to waive all applicable TRICARE copays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, individuals who get approval from a TRICARE-authorized provider do not face the fees, but individuals who use other physicians or buy the contraceptives through retail still face the extra costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2019\/07\/11\/yearlong-birth-control-supply-for-female-vets-could-cut-costs-and-unplanned-pregnancies\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"229\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_19015754735902.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Yearlong birth control supply for female vets could cut costs and unplanned pregnancies<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Department of Veterans Affairs could save about $2 million a year in prenatal, birth and newborn care costs by offering female veterans a year\u2019s supply of birth control pills, researchers say.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But making the change could bring with it political consequences, as numerous Republicans lawmakers have repeatedly blocked any attempts to expand birth control services in the military, particularly non-prescription emergency contraceptives viewed as akin to abortion by some opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter signers (all Democrats) argued that the contraceptive access amounts to \u201cbasic health care services\u201d for troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[Providing it] without cost barriers \u2014 just as civilians do \u2014 is the least we can do for these brave individuals who put their lives on the line in defense of our country and freedoms,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawmakers are expected to begin debate again on the annual authorization bill \u2014 potentially with the contraceptive language included again \u2014 later this spring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The extra costs are waived by most private insurers but not for members of the 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