President Obama’s new healthcare plan, starting January 1, 2013, will begin supplying birth control to women with insurance with no copays.  Also included in this package will be breast pumps for pregnant women, annual physicals, cervical cancer screenings, domestic violence counseling and diabetes tests during pregnancy.

     According to the Huffington Post, after many protests and court cases, the Institute of Medicine took a near-unanimous vote that caused Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to take action in this new law. The goals of this are simple: preventing unwanted pregnancies, obviously, as well as spacing out pregnancies for healthier mothers and babies. It also helps during and after pregnancy, with diabetes, HIV, and cancer screenings.

     However, much debate has risen over this controversial topic, according to International Business Times. Pro-life activists and certain religious groups are against the change, while from a economical standpoint it helps keep those who can’t afford birth control from having more children they cannot afford. It’s also said that the cost of insurance may rise, which in turn will have the opposite effect of providing affordability.

     Women will see this new system kick in on January 1, 2013 automatically with no need to sign up or apply. Some insurance companies may hold off for a while, but it is expected that after a while it will be instituted for all.