r/HealthInsurance • u/sweetbabycoconut • Jul 28 '25

Employer/COBRA Insurance Insurance doesn’t cover contraceptives because they said they’re a Christian-based organization

i use birth control to stop my periods and when i called my insurance to check for coverage this morning they said they don’t cover contraceptives for religious reasons

the estimate from my provider is around $2000 without insurance so just double-checking about alternative routes i can take given that information

insurance is from virginia mason hospital & they switched to bcbsil from first choice this year if that’s relevant

25 in wa with a $25 wage

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10

u/blackkristos Jul 28 '25

Wait, BCBS Illinois isn't covering? Are you positive about this? I worked for BCBS for nearly 20 years, and I am wondering if they actually provide benefits.

28

u/Erinbaus Jul 28 '25

Religious exemptions are decided at the client/employer level so it’s BCBS saying it’s not covered, the employer specifically requested a plan that doesn’t cover it per religious exemption criteria.

11

u/LowParticular8153 Jul 28 '25

If employer decided that birth control is not covered for contraception it is by requesting group, not BXBS.

If not used for birth control but for another reason your provider may be able to appeal denial based on medical issue not contraception

2

u/blackkristos Jul 28 '25

Right, but they said they recently moved to BCBS IL. I was just trying to help drill down to who it was that managed her benefits.

7

u/jerzeett Jul 28 '25

Yeah so when the company moved to BCBS they requested to not cover contraception under the “religious exemption”

1

u/blackkristos Jul 28 '25

Yeah, if it's a small fund (like Hobby Lobby and the ACA), that happens. But most commercial BCBS plans would cover all contraception.

6

u/jerzeett Jul 28 '25

Exactly. Her company (likely a religiously affiliated hospital) has claimed the religious exemption so they don’t have to cover it for their employees.

It’s not a BCBS policy by any means.

6

u/Shitp0st_Supreme Jul 28 '25

Sometimes companies have self funded plans administered by insurance agencies such as BCBS. My job has self administered plans through UMR which is under the UHC umbrella.

3

u/DomesticPlantLover Jul 29 '25

BCBS is probably administering the plan for the religious organizational. Religious organizations and some private corporations are exempt from the ACA's birth control requirement.