Contraception is an essential part of healthcare and I support expanding access to contractive services. That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 27, which is the companion bill to House Bill 17 sponsored by Rep. Ashley Carrick from Fairbanks. Both bills would require insurers to cover up to 12 months of contraceptives at a time. Currently, most public and private health insurance plans in Alaska only cover 1 to 3 months of self-administered contraceptives at a time.
“At the end of the day, this only has an impact on the quantity of medication dispensed at a pharmacy counter, and it does not allow pharmacists to dispense more than what is prescribed or allowed. This bill is about Alaskan women having the ability to make their choices in consultation with their doctors about their health care. It’s about them being able to make private decisions in a state where we have folks living far away from providers and in a state where providers are becoming more and more limited.” – Rep. Ashley Carrick (D-Fairbanks)
Expanding contraceptive coverage is important so Alaskans don’t face gaps in coverage. This would be beneficial for those who live in rural areas where it can be difficult to reach a pharmacy regularly. This legislation will help people who work at remote job sites where re-filling a prescription can be extremely challenging.
After months of hard work, Rep. Carrick’s House Bill 17 passed the Alaska House of Representatives on March 22 by a vote of 26-9. It has been sent to the Senate for consideration. I am lobbying for the bill to be quickly considered and passed by my colleagues in the Senate.
This episode of The Empty Office Podcast was recorded on March 12 shortly after a hearing for Senate Bill 27 in the Senate Health and Social Services Committee. I was joined by Rep. Carrick and two experts who testified about the issue of expanding access to insurance coverage for contraception. Dr. Robin Holmes is a clinical provider in Homer and Dr. Ingrid Johnson is the Associate Director of the Alaska Justice Information Center.
“Almost every week I have a patient who is in school and can’t make it to the pharmacy every month during the limited hours they are open to pick up another pack of pills.” – Dr. Robin Holmes is a clinical provider and Medical Director for the Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic in Homer
The Empty Office Podcast - Season 2, Episode 12