Women’s health care focus of bill

Legislation forcing insurance companies to loosen restrictions on common women’s medical care has been filed in both the House and Senate. Representative Joan Barry of St. Louis sponsors the bill that mandates direct access to an OB/GYN. The bill also mandates notification of cancer screenings, provision of bone density testing for elderly women and contraceptive coverage. Barry acknowledges the health insurance lobby will likely resist the legislation and contraceptive coverage might also spark protests among some pro-life lawmakers.