The contraceptive mandate is a rule that says that certain health insurance plans have to cover different methods of birth control for women at no additional cost. This means that women can get the birth control they need without paying extra money. This applies to things like birth control pills, patches, rings, and some types of intrauterine devices (IUDs). The idea behind this rule is to make sure that women have access to birth control, which can help them prevent unintended pregnancies and better plan their lives.