Contraceptives for women, although they are prescription, have not been covered under private insurance prescription plans in Oregon – forcing women on average to spend $578 per year in out-of-pocket expenses. But that will change when a recently passed bill heads to Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s desk for his signature.
The Senate voted 24-5 last Wednesday to approve a bill that requires all prescription drug benefit programs and student health insurance policies to include coverage of contraceptives. The bill also mandates that hospitals inform victims of sexual assaults about emergency contraception (EC) and treatment options, as well as provide EC upon request by the victim.
“This is a concept we’ve been working on for 14 years in some form or another, and we’re glad to see it come to fruition,” Kellie DeVore, vice-president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, said.
Planned Parenthood was one of the biggest supporters of House Bill 2700 and is one of the many places where prescription contraceptives are available. Emergency contraceptives are also available through the organization, but Planned Parenthood encourages women to seek treatment at a medical hospital if they are the victim of a sexual assault.
“We think that (the bill) is making sure someone that has been through a very traumatic experience has the information they need to prevent an unintended pregnancy from the sexual assault,” DeVore said. “One in six Oregon women will be the victim of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.”
Student health insurance polices, along with the private insurance providers, must provide payment, coverage or reimbursement for the prescription contraceptives.
University students are not covered right now under the University’s health plan. Instead, women are provided with the contraceptives through the Family Planning Expansion Project (FPEP), according to Debbie Alley, a health insurance coordinator for the Student Health Center.
“If the state mandates it, then we’ll go back to covering (contraception) again,” Alley said.
Early concerns with the bill centered around the continuity of distribution between the emergency contraceptives and information regarding how to use the birth control, its side effects and its effectiveness.
“The person who has the relationship with the female should be the same person who gives the medication and information about the medication so that the information will not be conflicting,” Andi Easton, director of advocacy for the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems said.
The bill has passed out of the House and Senate, and Oregon House officials say it will be sent to Gov. Kulongoski’s office for a signature into law within a week.
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