Neonatologists had long insisted that newborn babies should remain under watch for 48 hours. Problems can be diagnosed immediately rather than weeks, months or years later. This short hospital stay is particularly important for poor women who might not have access to a pediatrician. A two-day stay is both medically sensible and cost efficient. But many insurers, focused on short-term profit, rejected the idea.
Similar logic is at work regarding contraceptive drugs.
They greatly reduce unwanted pregnancies. According to Sen. Henry, about half of all pregnancies are unintended, and more than half of those end with abortion. Contraception is certainly preferable to abortion as belated birth control. Making sure that women have access to birth control would benefit their families and the larger society that eventually bears the cost of raising far too many unwanted children. It also would reduce the number of abortions, a clear benefit.