{"abstract":"This document contains final regulations regarding coverage of certain preventive services under section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act), added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended, and incorporated into the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code. Section 2713 of the PHS Act requires coverage without cost sharing of certain preventive health services by non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance coverage. Among these services are women's preventive health services, as specified in guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). As authorized by the current regulations, and consistent with the HRSA guidelines, group health plans established or maintained by certain religious employers (and group health insurance coverage provided in connection with such plans) are exempt from the otherwise applicable requirement to cover certain contraceptive services. These final regulations simplify and clarify the religious employer exemption. These final regulations also establish accommodations with respect to the contraceptive coverage requirement for group health plans established or maintained by eligible organizations (and group health insurance coverage provided in connection with such plans), as well as student health insurance coverage arranged by eligible organizations that are institutions of higher education. These regulations also finalize related amendments to regulations concerning Affordable Insurance Exchanges.","action":"Final rules.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY","name":"Treasury Department","id":497,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/treasury-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/497","parent_id":null,"slug":"treasury-department"},{"raw_name":"Internal Revenue Service","name":"Internal Revenue Service","id":254,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/internal-revenue-service","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/254","parent_id":497,"slug":"internal-revenue-service"},{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","name":"Labor Department","id":271,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/271","parent_id":null,"slug":"labor-department"},{"raw_name":"Employee Benefits Security Administration","name":"Employee Benefits Security Administration","id":131,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/employee-benefits-security-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/131","parent_id":271,"slug":"employee-benefits-security-administration"},{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2013/07/02/2013-15866.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":54,"title":26},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":2510,"title":29},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":2590,"title":29},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":147,"title":45},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":156,"title":45}],"citation":"78 FR 39870","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective date: These final regulations are effective on August 1, 2013. Applicability date: With the exception of the amendments to the religious employer exemption, which apply to group health plans and health insurance issuers for plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2013, these final regulations apply to group health plans and health insurance issuers for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["TD-9624","CMS-9968-F"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2013-15866","effective_on":"2013-08-01","end_page":39899,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2013/07/02/2013-15866.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/07/02/2013-15866/coverage-of-certain-preventive-services-under-the-affordable-care-act","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2013-15866?publication_date=2013-07-02","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2013-07-02/2013-15866/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":30,"page_views":{"count":10624,"last_updated":"2026-07-26 06:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-07-02/pdf/2013-15866.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2013-15866.pdf?1372458467","publication_date":"2013-07-02","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2013/07/02/2013-15866.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0938-AR42":{"issue":"201304","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0938-AR42/certain-preventive-services-under-the-affordable-care-act-cms-9968-f-","title":"Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act (CMS-9968-F)","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201304&RIN=0938-AR42&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"},"1210-AB44":{"issue":"201304","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1210-AB44/group-health-plans-and-health-insurance-issuers-relating-to-coverage-of-preventive-services-under-th","title":"Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers Relating to Coverage of Preventive Services Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201304&RIN=1210-AB44&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Economically Significant"},"1545-BJ60":{"issue":"201010","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1545-BJ60/coverage-of-preventive-services-under-the-patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act","title":"Coverage of Preventive Services Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201010&RIN=1545-BJ60&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0938-AR42","1210-AB44","1545-BJ60"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"HHS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=HHS-OS-2022-0008","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"HHS-OS-2022-0008","document_id":"HHS-OS-2022-0008-0378","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"HHS 2022 Archive","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2022-05-28T03:30:05Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":39870,"subtype":null,"title":"Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act","toc_doc":"Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Advertising","Advisory committees","Brokers","Consumer protection","Employee benefit plans","Excise taxes","Grant programs-health","Health care","Health insurance","Health maintenance organizations (HMO)","Health records","Hospitals","Individuals with disabilities","Loan programs-health","Medicaid","Organization and functions (Government agencies)","Pensions","Public assistance programs","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","State and local governments","Sunshine Act","Technical assistance","Women","Youth"],"type":"Rule","volume":78}