Oregon House Bill Guarantees Better Access to Birth Control

Emergency contraception, or EC, works just like regular birth control pills, only at a higher dosage.

Photo by: Tim King

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon House of Representatives Thursday approved HB 2700, which will give women and families greater access to prescription birth control through their health insurance plans.

The Access to Birth Control, or “ABC” bill also ensures that hospital emergency rooms provide access to emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault.

“For over 14 years, the women of Oregon have tried to gain insurance coverage for contraception,” said Rep. Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland). “The ABC bill is essential to ensure all Oregonians have fair access to basic healthcare services.”

Although contraception is basic health care for women, many insurance policies routinely exclude it from their prescription drug coverage.

More than half of all indemnity health insurance plans provide no coverage for prescription birth control, resulting in significant financial implications for women and families.

Businesses that refuse to cover contraception also leave the door open to lawsuits.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled in 2000 that denying coverage for prescription birth control is gender discrimination.

The ABC bill codifies what is already a legal reality for most companies.

“This is a great day for Oregon families,” said House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D-Portland). “All the credit goes to Diane Rosenbaum and Carolyn Tomei for their tenacious pursuit of the issue.”

In addition to requiring insurance companies to cover prescription contraceptives, the ABC bill requires hospital emergency rooms to make emergency contraceptives, or EC, available to victims of sexual assault.

“Offering Emergency Contraception to victims of sexual assault is compassionate, basic health care for women,” said Rep. Carolyn Tomei (D-Milwaukie). “It will help keep these victims from undergoing the additional trauma of an unintended pregnancy as a result of sexual assault.”

Emergency contraception, or EC, works just like regular birth control pills, only at a higher dosage.

When taken within 72 hours of unprotected sexual contact, EC reduces the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent; taken within 24 hours, it reduces that risk by 95 percent.

The ABC bill is the fourth item on the Roadmap for Oregon’s Future to pass the House.

It was approved on a bipartisan 49-9 vote.