The Convenient Contraception Act would give women the option of receiving one year of contraception upfront instead of the current standard of a three-month supply or less
Senator Murray: “Allowing people to pick up a full-year supply of birth control in a single trip to the pharmacy eliminates unnecessary barriers for women and lowers the likelihood of gaps in protection. This is a common-sense policy we should pass into law as soon as possible.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) and 17 of their Senate colleagues in introducing new legislation that would improve access to contraceptive products—including over-the-counter contraceptives—by providing individuals covered by private health insurance with the option to receive up to a full year of contraception at the time their prescription is issued, rather than the current three-month supply, or less, that is standard in many states. The Convenient Contraception Act would improve access to contraception simply by making it more convenient, thus improving health outcomes. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Lauren Underwood (D, IL-14).
“Access to contraception has become more important than ever since the Supreme Court ripped away the right to abortion, and making contraception more accessible and affordable is a top priority for me—which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill,” said Sen. Murray. “Allowing people to pick up a full-year supply of birth control in a single trip to the pharmacy eliminates unnecessary barriers for women and lowers the likelihood of gaps in protection. This is a common-sense policy we should pass into law as soon as possible.”
Currently, many private health insurance plans require a patient to pick up their contraception prescription multiple times over the duration of a prescription, creating an unnecessary burden and increasing the likelihood of gaps in protection. The Convenient Contraception Act permits individuals covered by private health insurance plans to pick up their full prescription supply, up to one year, at one time and requires these plans to cover the full cost at the time of pick-up. Recent polling has found that nearly 8 in 10 voters have a favorable view of birth control pills and more than 7 in 10 support making the pill available over-the-counter.
Over the course of her career, Senator Murray has always fought to ensure widespread access to affordable birth control. Recently, Senator Murray led the charge in calling on FDA to follow the science and expert recommendations to put over-the-counter birth control on shelves; the FDA approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill last week and Murray is currently working to pass her legislation to require insurers to fully cover over-the-counter birth control without any fees or out-of-pocket costs.
In the aftermath of the Dobbs leak, Senator Murray introduced and sought unanimous consent to pass the Right to Contraception Act to protect every American’s right to use contraception—Republicans blocked the bill. This year, Murray organized and led Senate Democrats on the anniversary of the Dobbs decision in pushing to pass commonsense bills to protect women’s fundamental freedoms, including the right to contraception and the right to travel for reproductive health care. Senator Murray pushed to ensure birth control was covered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), led the fight against the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby ruling, and has persistently pressed the administration to enforce the ACA’s coverage for contraceptive services since then. Senator Murray has long held that FDA must make its decisions based on sound science and public health needs, not politics—and she is widely credited with leading the fight to make Plan B available over the counter.
Murray and Fetterman were joined in introducing the Convenient Contraception Act in the Senate today by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
The Convenient Contraception Act is endorsed by American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; Catholics for Choice; Center for American Progress; Contraceptive Access Initiative; Every Mother Counts; In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda; MomsRising; NARAL Pro-Choice America; National Council of Jewish Women; National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Women’s Law Center; Physicians for Reproductive Health; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Power to Decide; The Collaborative; and the What to Expect Project.
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