As Health Law Takes Effect, Employers Move To Adapt

As Health Law Takes Effect, Employers Move To Adapt
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Dr. Jim Spears speaks with Sarah Ittner, a New York-based actor who does not have health coverage, at the Actors Fund's Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic on March 23, 2011 in New York City. Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of President Obama's healthcare law known as the Affordable Care Act. The debate over the bill, which aims to bring affordable healthcare to all Americans, has been emotinal as Republican activists have tried to get it repealed. The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic supplies those in the entertainment industry without health coverage with access to doctors and specialists. The clinic has been serving the entertainment community since 2003. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Dr. Jim Spears speaks with Sarah Ittner, a New York-based actor who does not have health coverage, at the Actors Fund's Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic on March 23, 2011 in New York City. Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of President Obama's healthcare law known as the Affordable Care Act. The debate over the bill, which aims to bring affordable healthcare to all Americans, has been emotinal as Republican activists have tried to get it repealed. The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic supplies those in the entertainment industry without health coverage with access to doctors and specialists. The clinic has been serving the entertainment community since 2003. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Two major provisions of the health-overhaul law take effect Wednesday, testing employers' ability to adapt to changes the measure mandates.

The law requires employers to distribute millions of dollars in insurance-company refunds to workers whose plans spent a high percentage of their premium dollars on administrative expenses instead of medical care.

Employers also will have to begin including contraception and other women's services in workers' insurance plans without charging employees co-payments or other fees.

The Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday that it estimated from Census data that 47 million women between the ages of 15 and 64 were enrolled in private health insurance plans that are subject to the new requirement to cover contraception and other health services. It isn't clear how many women will actually use those services.

The requirement to cover birth control includes the so-called morning-after pill and sterilization. Insurance plans also will have to cover several other services for women without charging copayments, such as breast-feeding support and supplies and screening for gestational diabetes, HIV and domestic violence.

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