Maine House Democrats: Legislative Leaders Advance Arford Bill to Improve Access to Birth Control

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 13 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on Jan. 11, 2024:

On Tuesday, Maine's Legislative Council voted to advance a bill from Rep. Poppy Arford, D-Brunswick, that would help more Mainers access birth control by requiring state-regulated health insurance plans to cover over-the-counter contraceptives.

In July 2023, the FDA approved Opill, an oral contraceptive pill, for nonprescription use. It is the first daily oral contraceptive approved for use in the U.S. without a prescription.

"My bill would continue Maine's proud history of supporting access to comprehensive contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies," said Arford. "Lack of access to birth control disproportionately affects low-income women, women of color, young women and those in rural communities. This is an important step toward ensuring Maine people have full access to the resources they need to decide whether and when to have a family."

Maine law currently requires state-regulated plans to provide full coverage for FDA-approved contraceptives when prescribed by a health care provider. That means coverage without cost-sharing requirements, such as copayments and deductibles. Arfords bill would require the same level of coverage for FDA-approved, over-the-counter contraceptives.

"While increasing access to birth control is not a solution to the ongoing attacks on abortion access and other forms of sexual and reproductive health care, it is a critical part of protecting our reproductive freedom," said Lisa Margulies, vice president of public affairs in Maine for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. "Insurance coverage of the Opill will help ensure Mainers have affordable access to this medication as it becomes available for over-the-counter purchase."

"Maine Family Planning celebrates the FDA approval of the first over-the-counter oral birth control pill, Opill, but we know that being available on the shelf does not equal equitable access," said Evelyn Kieltyka, senior vice president of program services at Maine Family Planning. "We are grateful to Rep. Arford for her sponsorship of LR 3018, An Act to Require Health Insurance Coverage for Federally Approved Nonprescription Contraceptives, which would ensure insurance coverage for approved over-the-counter contraceptives, thus lessening the financial burden for people with limited resources. Every step towards equitable access to comprehensive reproductive health care options matters, and this is an important piece of legislation that will make a direct impact on the lives of poor and working-class people who want to access over-the-counter contraceptive methods."

The bill will be considered by the full Legislature in the coming weeks. Arford is serving her second term in the Maine House. She represents House District 101, part of Brunswick, and is a member of the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee.

* * *

Original text here: https://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=HouseDems+News&id=12264742&v=article2019