Birth control rules drawing record comments, analysis finds

{mosads}The watchdog group reported that the next-most-commented rules are those governing the federal pre-existing condition insurance plan.

Those regulations drew 4,600 responses, about 30 times fewer comments than birth control rules received. The disparity shows “just how motivated foes and champions of the contraceptive provision are,” the foundation wrote.

The analysis pointed out that even in the case of the pre-existing condition plan, the comments were spurred by a women’s health debate. Abortion-rights groups had objected to federal regulations declaring the plan would not cover abortions.

The birth-control mandate has pitted the Obama administration, which sees birth control as a key preventive healthcare service, against some religious groups, who feel employers should not be made to cover medical benefits they disagree with.

—This post was expanded Monday at 2:06 p.m.