Wilson Threatens to Veto Insurance-for-Contraception Bill

Gov. Pete Wilson threatened Wednesday to veto a bill by a San Fernando Valley lawmaker that would require all health insurance policies to pay for some FDA-approved contraceptives.

The Assembly voted 43-27 Wednesday to send to the governor the bill written by Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks).

Hertzberg said he hopes Wilson will change his mind. “If he vetoes it, I don’t know what I’d do,” he said.

The governor’s office threatened to veto the bill because Hertzberg refused to amend the legislation earlier this week to allow some insurance companies to opt out of the requirement.

“Hertzberg’s bill is in very serious jeopardy” because its backers are unwilling to soften it, said Sean Walsh, Wilson’s spokesman.

The governor has 12 days to veto the bill or it becomes law.

Hertzberg teamed up with several women’s health advocates to introduce the bill even though Wilson vetoed a similar bill in 1995.

The bill was proposed because only about one-third of all insurance companies cover the five most effective methods of contraception: birth control pills, intrauterine devices, Depo-Provera injections, diaphragms and Norplant.

Women of childbearing age spend about two-thirds more on health care than men of the same age, largely due to the cost of birth control, according to several studies.

Although few insurance policies pay for contraceptive methods, most will pay for more expensive procedures such as abortions and sterilization, according to Hertzberg’s staff. Hertzberg and women’s health care groups argue that it makes economic sense to pay for contraception in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

But Wilson’s office argued against making coverage mandatory and asked Hertzberg to amend the bill to allow plans that do and do not pay for contraception.

Wilson also wanted Hertzberg’s bill to exempt businesses with religious affiliations, such as churches and schools.

“We think these are two very reasonable amendments,” Walsh said.

But Hertzberg said the amendments would increase insurance costs of buyers who want contraception covered: “The only way insurance works is if you spread the risk among everyone,” he said.

Wilson vetoed a similar bill in 1995, saying it would be “irresponsible” of him to burden business without knowing the exact cost of the mandate.

But Hertzberg now has data to show that the cost would be relatively low: only $16 per policy holder per year.