Lawmakers Monday passed a bill in the Colorado House that would require health insurance companies to include prenatal and birth control in all plans offered to women on the individual health care market. Sponsored by Denver Democrats Beth McCann and Jerry Frangas, the bill was stripped of this strong provision in committee weeks ago in order to move it onto the floor. House watchers expected to see a fight on the floor but the bill passed on a voice vote, with only minimal questioning from conservative Monument Republican Amy Stephens, who asked if the bill would now cover so-called Plan B contraception, the “morning after” pill, which some see as akin to abortion.

 

House Bill 1021 was originally weakened with amendments proposed by its sponsors when presented to the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee. At the time, McCann and Frangas reluctantly removed contraceptive coverage from the bill and diluted the language so that insurance companies merely had to offer one policy with maternity coverage. ...