Senate Bill 82 requires insurance carriers to provide coverage for prescribed contraceptives and related health costs. While many health care plans pay for surgical means of preventing pregnancy, few pay for the routine, oral contraceptive methods prescribed and recommended by physicians.

Women spend about 68 percent more in out-of-pocket expenses for health care than men ¹. One of the biggest contributors to those expenses is birth control. The most widely used prescription drug of women aged 15 to 44 is for birth control, yet most insurance companies do not include contraceptive coverage in their policies.

The out-of-pocket cost for oral contraceptives is approximately $25 per month while the estimated increase in insurance premiums for coverage of birth control is about $16 annually per enrollee according to the Health Insurance Association of America ². Requiring insurance coverage for contraceptive services not only makes good business sense, but it also increases access to contraceptives and related services.

In response to a person's conscientious objection to contraceptive coverage, SB 82 states an individual health care insurance policy or a policy issued by a qualified church-controlled organization with a religious-based objection is exempted from this mandate. An insurance policy that does not provide coverage for other drugs obtained by prescription is also exempted from this legislation. Eight in 10 privately insured adults support contraceptive coverage ³. Senate Bill 82 recognizes this strong public support. I urge your support for this legislation.