Healthcare reform law provides free birth control, women's services

There are lots of tests women need to have to stay healthy, mammograms, pap smears, and checkup visits.

Starting August 1 ^st, women will have better access to these preventative services under President Obama's affordable health care law.

Most women will no longer have to pay out of pocket or co-pays when they go for these services. 

All new health insurance plans are required to cover 8 new preventative services for women without charging them anything out of pocket.

If your plan had been charging co-pays or deductibles, they'll be free starting at your plan's next renewal date.

Free services include birth control, well women visits, gestational diabetes screening for pregnant women, breastfeeding supplies, counseling for domestic violence and HIV testing among other things.

Before the law took effect, some insurance companies did not cover these services at all.

Not all women will have access to the new services. Certain insurance plans that existed before the law was passed may be exempt under a grandfathered clause.

You can call your employer to ask whether you're in a grandfathered health insurance plan.

Also, certain non-profit religious organizations like churches and schools are not required to cover these services.

You might remember the controversy surrounding the law when it was being discussed about religious organizations having to pay for free birth control.