A move today by the Trump administration to roll back a mandate under the Affordable Care Act could affect thousands of women here on the Island.
New Trump administration rules allow employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control for employees by claiming moral or religious objections. Planned Parenthood says it will affect thousands of Long Island women.
"For a lot of women that co-pay could be $75 a month,” says Saski Thomson, of Planned Parenthood. “A lot of women don't have that disposable income to pay for it."
The rule comes about the same week the House passed a bill banning most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which has upset officials at Planned Parenthood.
The national pro-life group the Susan B. Anthony List praised the Trump administration.
"Today President Trump delivered a huge victory for conscience rights and religious liberty in America," the group said in a statement.
A statement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, “In New York, we will not allow the progress of the women's movement to be stopped.” He also ensured that whatever happens at the federal level, women in New York would continue to have cost-free access to reproductive health care.