On the eve of the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision, President Biden issues an important and timely Executive Order that focuses on expanding access to affordable contraception as a critical element of reproductive care. AMWA champions this 3-pronged effort to address a growing concern for individuals who currently use contraceptives throughout the United States. It’s important to emphasize that while the majority of individuals rely on contraception for family planning, there are other medical indications for the use of these modalities.
The order identifies actions in several critical ways:
- Seeking to assure that every Food and Drug Administration-approved, -granted, or -cleared contraceptives and the care needed to obtain contraception is covered both by private health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (with no cost sharing) and through improved coverage of all federally-funded programs and to expand access to over-the-counter contraceptives, thereby reducing barriers that women face in accessing contraception.
- Sharing best practices with employers and institutions of higher education to assure that employees and students are aware of their options to obtain contraception.
- Promoting expansion of research and data analysis to identify gaps and disparities in contraception access and the benefits of comprehensive coverage
