Oregon looks likely to become the first state in the nation to guarantee women access to a full year of birth control.
The Senate and House have passed a bill that makes sure women who are prescribed 12 months of contraception — whether that be the pill, the patch or the ring — will be reimbursed by insurance for the full cost.
Mary Nolan with Planned Parenthood says one study suggests that getting a full year’s contraception at once reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancy by 30 percent.
"If we are successful in reducing unintended pregnancies by even a fraction of what that study suggests, we save money and we empower families to determine when young people want to become parents and to space out their pregnancies to improve their health," she says.
She called it the biggest improvement in reproductive health in a generation and expects other states to follow suit.
The bill now goes to Governor Kate Brown, who is expected to sign it.
CDC
/Proponents say guaranteeing women a full year of birth control reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancy.
Copyright 2015 Oregon Public Broadcasting
