Health plans are required to cover contraceptive drugs without cost sharing. A health plan must provide reimbursement for a 12-month supply of contraceptive drugs obtained at one time by the enrollee, unless the enrollee requests a smaller supply or the prescriber instructs the enrollee to receive a smaller supply. The health plan must allow the enrollee to receive the contraceptive drugs on-site at the provider's office, if available. The 12-month supply requirement applies only to refills of contraceptive drugs, not the original prescription.
The 12-month supply requirement is applied to all prescriptions of contraceptive drugs, not just refills.
(In support) People deserve access to birth control that works for their individual circumstances. This access allows people to plan whether and when to have children. A 12-month supply of birth control decreases unwanted pregnancies. It also helps people who need the medications to treat other health conditions. Reproductive health is also important to safety planning for victims of domestic violence. Requiring people to refill more frequently presents barriers to people who have difficulties accessing reliable transportation or who have jobs that prevent visiting a pharmacy during normal business hours. Washington was one of the first states to require a 12-month supply, but it only applied to refills. Since then 25 other states have adopted similar laws. Washington's law is an outlier among these states because it does not apply to first fills. This bill does not require a 12-month supply if patients or providers decide otherwise. Rather, it ensures that patients and providers will make the decisions, not insurance companies.
(Opposed) None.
Nicole Kern, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates; Elena Vega de Soto; Calypso Bettis; and Carey Morris, Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.