In 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a women’s preventative care mandate pursuant to the Affordable Care Act that requires all employer-sponsored insurance to cover a comprehensive list of contraceptive drugs and procedures.  This sparked an election-year debate that the media claimed pitted women against religious communities that object to the use of contraception.

But the issue is much more complex than that. There are many reasons that even nonreligious people might oppose such a mandate. It will have consequences on public health, markets, and First Amendment rights.

Read this fact sheet to learn the answers to the following questions:

  • How might this mandate affect public health?
  • How might this mandate affect markets for contraceptives, health insurance, and jobs?
  • How might this mandate affect our First Amendment rights?