"Today marks a tremendous milestone in women's access to critical reproductive health services. By confirming that contraception is essential preventive care that should be covered by health insurance with no-copays, the Obama Administration refused to bow to pressure from anti-contraception groups to deny millions of women the ability to choose and use a birth control method that is best for them.

As we, along with our allies, have said since the beginning of this process, birth control is the very definition of preventive care, and all women deserve affordable birth control, regardless of where they work. Affordable birth control is central to women's ability to prevent unintended pregnancies, plan their families and protect their health.

Classifying birth control as a preventive measure to be fully covered by insurance was one of the promises of health reform. With 266,000 unintended pregnancies each year in New York, birth control co-pays running as high as $600 per year, and one of the most dire economic times we’ve seen in generations, today’s decision will have untold benefits for New York women, families, and our entire economy.

We look forward to working with New York’s elected leaders to ensure that the full range of reproductive health care options remains a priority and continues to be protected under health care reform implementation.”