The League, working in coalition on women’s issues, has had some notable successes this year: passing Paid Family Leave and increasing the minimum wage. Now we have a good chance to increase access to all types of birth control and thereby reduce the number of unintended pregnancies by passing the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act (CCCA) this session. The CCCA (A.8135B, Cahill/ S.6013A, Bonacic) has already passed the Assembly and is sponsored by a member of the Republican majority in the Senate. Tell your Senator that you support this bill.
The CCCA would build upon existing requirements of the Affordable Care Act by requiring health insurance policies to cover the following services without co-payments: contraceptive education and counseling, voluntary sterilization procedures and related follow-up services, and all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices, and products; require dispensing 12 months of contraception; allow pharmacists to fill a non-patient-specific prescription for Emergency Contraception. It will reduce unintended pregnancies.
Barb Thomas, barb.lwv@nycap.rr.com
