WASHINGTON, D.C.-Several prominent Senators have sent a letter to President Biden urging the Administration to work to require insurers to fully cover over-the-counter birth control.
Senator Patty Murray, (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, led the letter writing effort and was joined by 44 of her Senate colleagues, including Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).
The full letter is available online.
The letter urged the Biden Administration to require federally and state-regulated health insurance plans to fully cover over-the-counter contraceptives with no copays or out of pocket costs, and without a prescription requirement according to a press release from Senator Murray’s Office.
Opill—the first-ever FDA-approved over-the-counter birth control pill will become available in early 2024.
In their letter, the Senators wrote, in part:
“The availability of safe and effective OTC birth control products has enormous potential to help people overcome significant barriers to consistent contraceptive use, including the many logistical and financial challenges to obtaining a prescription. The FDA’s approval of Opill is a milestone; however, for an OTC birth control pill to meet its potential and be truly accessible, federal departments must ensure that it is covered without cost-sharing and without the need for a prescription as a condition of coverage.”
