Planned Parenthood on Republican Birth Control Bill: “Insult to Women”

New York, NY- Planned Parenthood Action Fund today said that a bill introduced by two Republicans in the United States Senate would force women to pay twice for their birth control, eliminate insurance coverage for birth control, and prevent women from choosing the most appropriate contraceptive method for them.

Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund

“This bill is a sham and an insult to women. It would give women fewer birth control options and force women to pay twice for their birth control.”

“Planned Parenthood supports expanding access to birth control, which means making it available over-the-counter and also requiring it to be covered by insurance, so that it is affordable for all women. The politicians who introduced this sham bill have repeatedly voted to take away insurance coverage and deny women access to birth control. They aren’t interested in expanding women’s access to birth control, and their bill would actually restrict women’s choices and cost women more money.”

Planned Parenthood noted that birth control pills can cost women up to $600 a year, which is now covered under the Affordable Care Act, and that the bill would take away insurance coverage for birth control that’s made available over-the-counter. The bill doesn’t expand the availability or protect the affordability of IUDs and other highly effective methods of birth control.

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