Contraceptive Equity Report (condensed)
INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR CONTRACEPTION: A Matter of public policy in South dakota Contraception is basic health care and should be treated as such as a matter of public policy. By guaranteeing consumers that insurers cover prescription contraception to the same extent as other drugs, contraceptive-equity laws help ensure women’s access to birth control. Laws promoting insurance coverage for contraception protect and promote women’s health. South Dakota law currently provides no guarantee that FDA-approved contraceptives will be covered to the same extent as other drugs in health insurance prescription drug plans issued in the state. Public Opinion: South Dakotans Support Contraceptive Equity Polling data from late 2009 found that by a margin of 66.3% to 22.8%, South Dakotans support “a law that requires insurance plans to cover prescription birth control in the same way they pay for other medication.” Current State Law: Ensuring Contraceptive Coverage Twenty-seven states have passed comprehensive laws or regulations ensuring equity in private insurance coverage for prescription contraception. Federal Policies An objective included in the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2010 report is to increase the proportion of health insurance policies that cover contraception. Current South Dakota Guaranteed Coverage South Dakota ranks 12th in fewest mandates. Based upon the research by CAHI, South Dakota places only 30 mandates on insurance companies, tied with Vermont for 12th fewest mandates. South Dakota Ranks 2nd in fewest mandates compared to neighboring states. Among the states bordering South Dakota only Iowa places fewer mandates on insurance companies. Access to Contraceptives Promotes Women’s Health Contraception is basic health care and should be treated as such as a matter of public policy. Inadequate access to contraception carries health risks for women. Not every contraceptive method is medically appropriate for every woman. Many women who use contraception rely on a reversible method that requires a prescription and, typically, a visit to a health-care provider. When all of the common methods of reversible prescription contraception are not available or affordable, some women may choose less appropriate methods or forego birth control altogether to avoid paying high, out-of-pocket costs. For example, some women delay refilling oral contraceptives or obtaining periodic injections if the monetary cost is too high. Insurance Coverage for Contraceptives Shown to be Cost Effective Studies show that any increase in cost due to contraceptive coverage is modest, generally 1% to 3%, and countered by the decrease in costs associated with unintended pregnancy. Contraceptive Equity: Much Work Remains Considering that almost two-thirds of all adult women get their health insurance through employers, continued advocacy for contraceptive-equity laws is imperative. Conclusion South Dakotans strongly support guaranteed insurance coverage of contraceptives. Despite strong evidence that such programs provide health benefits and long term cost savings, South Dakota law currently allows insurance companies to exclude FDA-approved contraceptives from any prescription drug plan. Policymakers must continue to advocate for guaranteed insurance coverage for contraception to ensure that women in South Dakota have access to this basic health care need. Such a policy will help promote and protect women’s health and should be guaranteed as a simple matter of justice and equality. (A link to the full report will be available soon.)
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