Limited Access to Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception (EC), often referred to as the “morning-after” pill, contains the same hormones as regular birth control pills. When taken within five days of unprotected sex, it can significantly reduce a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant. In August of 2006, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration approved Plan B (the brand name of EC) for over-the-counter use for women aged 18 and older. Women under the age of 18 must get a prescription for EC before accessing it at the pharmacy counter. Even though this decision has made EC drastically more accessible to millions of women, three groups of women still have limited access to EC. Women under 18 Women under the age of 18 must have a prescription from a doctor or healthcare provider in order to access EC at the pharmacy counter. Each hour a woman is forced to wait to take EC after unprotected sex the less effective it becomes. By the time a young woman gets an appointment with her doctor and fills her prescription at the pharmacy, it may be too late. There is no medical reason whatsoever that a young woman should be required to visit a doctor rather than going straight to the pharmacy counter. Low-income women Low income women have also been left out by the FDA decision. Medicaid does not cover the cost of over-the-counter drugs. Costing around forty dollars per dose, EC is simply not financially possible for many low-income women who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance. Eight states [HI, IL, MD, NJ, NY, OK, OR, WA] provide Medicaid coverage of EC. Wisconsin’s current solution is the Family Planning Waiver, which covers the reproductive health care needs of women who make 200% of the federal poverty level for free. Still, the FPW requires a lengthy application, phone interview and processing time, which can take months. States must adapt Medicaid to the needs of low-income women in crisis. Undocumented women Because of the dual label, women must show identification to prove they are 18 years old or older. Undocumented women are denied access to EC because they lack official documentation cards to prove they are 18. Nine states allow pharmacists to dispense EC to women of any age without a prescription. They are AK, CA, HI, ME, NH,VT and WA.
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