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(Reuters) - The Obama conduct maintains that its plan to own health insurers pay for birth restrain offered to employees of religious groups won't close up costing the industry. But insurers aren't in the same manner confident.

Last Friday, President Barack Obama sought to appease outraged leaders of the Catholic church, which opposes contraception, by making insurers responsible for providing the free birth direct.

Obama's 2010 healthcare law mandates over-familiar contraception. The administration exempted houses of idolize from the rule, but requires coverage have ~ing made available to employees of devoutly affiliated organizations such as hospitals and universities.

The conduct has said insurers should ultimately ascertain by enumeration up any initial costs by avoiding expenses associated with unintended pregnancies. But a new overlook of 15 large health plans shows they are not plain of such savings.

Asked what shock the requirement will have on their costs in the year to two years after it goes into power, 40 percent of the participants related they expect the requirement will grow costs through higher pharmacy expenses.

The scan of pharmacy directors at the freedom from disease plans was conducted on Wednesday by Reimbursement Intelligence, which advises pharmaceutical, therapeutical device and other companies on repayment issues. The firm did not specify the insurance plans it surveyed.

Of the health plans, 20 percent said costs would on a level out because they already budget beneficial to contraception in the premium, 6.7 percent reported it would drive up pharmacy costs goal decrease medical costs, while 33.3 percent weren't abiding. None said it would lead to get savings.

"They think it will promote pharmacy costs and won't appear stormy medical costs," said Rhonda Greenapple, chieftain executive officer of Reimbursement Intelligence. "The essence that preventative care is going to master overall healthcare costs, they don't buy it."

Last week, insurers including Aetna Inc questioned the antecedent set by Obama's plan that would impel them to pay for coverage with no clear way of recouping the cost.

But insurers may still seek ways to let go through such costs, either by increasing premiums to the same employers or to other in~d clients.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said its concerns were not addressed by Obama's compromise, and noted that security against loss plans would likely cover the being control costs out of the larger plash of revenue they make from their draw together with a religious employer.

(Reporting By Lewis Krauskopf; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Gerald E. McCormick)

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