NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin : News : Press Releases

NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Applauds Inclusion of Prevention First Initiatives in Wisconsin State Budget

Madison, WI – Today, Governor Jim Doyle signed into law a state budget that includes critical provisions to promote health care equity for Wisconsin women and families. These Prevention First provisions include prescription protection to ensure that no woman is turned away from the pharmacy when filling her birth control prescription; contraceptive equity to ensure that prescription contraceptives are covered for all women with insurance for prescription drugs; and expansion of the Badger Care Plus family planning program to increase access to family planning services for low-income individuals.

NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin applauds Governor Doyle and the State Legislature for supporting these measures that will protect and provide expanded access to reproductive health care for women and families.

“It has been more than 40 years since the Supreme Court struck down a ban on birth control, yet we are still fighting to ensure that all women have access to this basic health care service,” says Lisa Subeck, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. “The Prevention First initiatives signed into law today ensure greater access to and affordability of prescription contraceptives. More than 90% of women will use birth control during their lifetime – access to safe birth control is critical to preventing unintended pregnancy.”

Improving access to birth control is at the forefront of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin’s efforts to prevent unintended pregnancy, and the Prevention First initiatives included in the state budget improve access to reproductive health care and family planning services critical to meeting this goal.

“Because of the Prevention First initiatives in the state budget signed into law today, more Wisconsin women and families will have access to affordable birth control and other critical reproductive health care services,” says Subeck. “NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin thanks Governor Doyle and all of the legislators who took a stand for women by working to include Prevention First initiatives in the budget.”