​The Affordable Care Act requires non-grandfathered health plans to cover contraceptive services with no out-of-pocket costs (i.e., $0 cost-sharing). There are two exceptions to this requirement:

• Objecting non-governmental plan sponsors (i.e., a church or closely held for-profit entity) based on sincerely held religious beliefs that are contrary to its establishing, maintaining, providing, offering, or arranging for (as applicable) coverage or payments for some or all contraceptive services.
• Objecting non-governmental plan sponsors (i.e., nonprofit organization or a for-profit entity that has no publicly traded ownership interests) based on sincerely held moral convictions that are contrary to its establishing, maintaining, providing, offering, or arranging for (as applicable) coverage or payments for some or all contraceptive services.

Optional accommodation for eligible organizations

An eligible organization that provides benefits through one or more group health insurance issuers to a group health plan can choose to use an optional accommodation. Under this accommodation, the insurance issuer(s) will cover the costs of some or all contraceptive services for one or more plan years.

Independence Blue Cross (IBX) pays the cost of contraceptive services for eligible employees and eligible dependents.

Contraceptive Coverage ID card

Eligible members within these organizations will receive a separate ID card that indicates “Contraceptive Coverage" as shown below. For these members, it is important that only contraceptive services are billed using the identification number on the Contraceptive Coverage ID card.*

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This ID card allows coverage for FDA-approved contraceptive methods without cost-sharing. Under the medical benefit, they will be covered at the in-network level. Under the pharmacy benefit, generic products and brand-name products without a generic equivalent will also be covered with no cost-sharing at both retail and mail-order pharmacies.*

For more information

For a complete listing of medical contraceptive services, please refer to Medical Policy #0​​0.06.02au: Preventive Care Services. Enter the policy number or keyword in the Search bar.

*Contraceptive services are covered under the pharmacy benefit only if the member has an IBX prescription drug plan.

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