SC Gov. Henry McMaster's veto blocks birth control coverage for the children of state employees
COLUMBIA The children of South Carolina state employees are going to have to continue to shell out money if they want to guard against a pregnancy.
That is if state lawmakers decide not to overturn a veto by Gov. Henry McMaster, who last month came out against the effort to cover birth control for dependents under state insurance plans.
With a swipe of his pen, McMaster nixed a section of this year's state budget that mandated contraceptives be covered for everyone under the state health plans maintained by the Public Employee Benefit Authority. He argued the effort was not requested by the agency and that it would cost around $8 million a year.
In reality, the push to cover the complete tab of birth control for the children of state employees would cost around $4.2 million a year, according to the employee benefit authority. Federal funds would pick up the rest of the estimated $8.3 million tab.
Read more: http://www.postandcourier.com/news/south-carolina-gov-henry-mcmaster-s-veto-blocks-birth-control/article_b27ff44c-5b52-11e7-82ee-3f93cfdab679.html