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Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit

This digital toolkit presents a variety of materials for elected officials, public health officials, and advocates. The fact sheets, maps, research articles, videos, policy briefs, and other documents that make up this toolkit are intended to educate on the state of contraceptive access on a national and state-by-state level, and policy steps that states can take to improve access. Specifically, this toolkit currently focuses on three policies: coverage for an extended supply of contraception, protecting contraceptive coverage, and pharmacist prescribing of contraception. We also have information on telehealth policies that help facilitate access to contraception.

Additionally, we are acutely aware of the toll the current pandemic is taking on people’s health, well-being, and economic security. We salute the heroic work being done by health officials and front-line health workers – among many others. COVID-19 is exacerbating existing challenges and inequities faced by women already struggling to make ends meet. Now more than ever, access to health care, including reproductive health care, is incredibly important.

Tools for You

Below we have organized resources for three state-level audiences: elected officials (state legislators and their staff, governors, lieutenant governors, and attorneys general); public health officials (appointed and career staff working in state and local health departments); and advocates (those in national, state, or community organizations advocating to expand access to contraception at the state and local level). Some information is the same for all audiences, while other resources are curated or tailored to be most relevant for each audience.

Elected Officials

Tip Sheet: This tip sheet provides actionable ideas specific to elected officials as well as linked resources from the toolkit to get you started. (Also see the R-Street blog post about toolkit.)

Interactive State-by-State Maps

Infographics

Polling

  • Survey Says: Thanks, Birth Control 2021: Nearly seven in ten (69%) say they are concerned about future access to birth control (up from 51% in 2020). Democrats (74%), Independents (72%) and Republicans (55%) are all concerned about access to birth control. In addition, 85% of respondents—including 93% of Independents, 85% of Democrats and 76% of Republicans—believe all people, regardless of who they are, where they live or what their economic status may be deserve access to all methods of birth control.
  • Everyone Loves Birth Control: Birth control is directly linked to a wide array of benefits to women, men, children, and society, including fewer unplanned pregnancies. This brief is regularly updated with the latest data. 
  • Survey Says: Telehealth: Telehealth has proven to be a viable option for many people to obtain birth control. Telehealth can especially help overcome some of the common barriers associated to not being able to access contraception.
  • Survey Says: Telehealth and Income: The results of this survey result reflect a need to increase education so that everyone regardless of economic status can access contraception through telehealth.

Factsheets and Briefs

***Updated*** State Actions to Expand Contraceptive Coverage: Since 2014, nearly a third of states have undertaken efforts to expand contraceptive access by mandating that health insurance plans cover the full range of contraceptive methods without cost-sharing and with limits on utilization controls. 

State Resources on Reproductive Well-Being: This is a one-stop-shop for Power to Decide's state-specific materials related to policy, federal funding, contraceptive landscape, and data. 

Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Birth Control: Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in expanding the authority of pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense some hormonal birth control methods. This fact sheet includes an overview of the policy, including benefits and implementation considerations, and a table summarizing the policies in the 18 states that allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control. We have also created an infographic of this information. Also see our new state-specific pharmacist prescribing factsheets.

Extended Supply of Contraception: Twenty-three states (including D.C.) require insurers to increase the number of months for which they cover prescription contraceptives at one time. This fact sheet offers details on the laws in each of those states. We have also created an infographic of this information.

State Responses to the Title X Domestic Gag Rule: Though some states impacted by the gag rule have provided their own general funds as a stopgap measure, it is not reasonable that states can or should be able to replace the federal funding that they have received over many years.

Contraceptive Deserts 101: Understand the basics about our birth control deserts and how to communicate their significance.

Key State Policies at a Glance: This fact sheet details policies that help to expand access to and information about contraception. 

Introducing the Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit: A webinar recording with Power to Decide and their partners, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and R Street Institute. This webinar walked attendees through the digital toolkit to introduce them to the various resources contained inside.

External Resources:

R-Street: New Contraceptive Toolkit Offers Clear Information During Uncertain Times - This blog post provides an overview of the toolkit and how to use it.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: ‘Gag rule’ is devastating reproductive health services - In this Letter to the Editor, former Pennsylvania Congressman and current Power to Decide board member, Charlie Dent urges ". . . Republicans at the federal and state level to align with the American people in supporting access to contraception. . ."

R-Street - Bipartisan Solutions for Birth Control Access (Virtual Panel Recording)

Pharmacists Prescribing

Extended Supply

Telehealth

Miscellaneous

Public Health Officials

Tip Sheet: This tip sheet provides actionable ideas specific to public health officials as well as linked resources from the toolkit to get you started. 

Interactive State-by-State Maps

Infographics

Polling

  • Survey Says: Thanks, Birth Control 2021: Nearly seven in ten (69%) say they are concerned about future access to birth control (up from 51% in 2020). Democrats (74%), Independents (72%) and Republicans (55%) are all concerned about access to birth control. In addition, 85% of respondents—including 93% of Independents, 85% of Democrats and 76% of Republicans—believe all people, regardless of who they are, where they live or what their economic status may be deserve access to all methods of birth control.
  • Everyone Loves Birth Control: Birth control is directly linked to a wide array of benefits to women, men, children, and society, including fewer unplanned pregnancies. This brief is regularly updated with the latest data. 
  • Survey Says: Telehealth: Telehealth has proven to be a viable option for many people to obtain birth control. Telehealth can especially help overcome some of the common barriers associated to not being able to access contraception.
  • Survey Says: Telehealth and Income: The results of this survey result reflect a need to increase education so that everyone regardless of economic status can access contraception through telehealth.

Factsheets and Briefs

***Updated*** State Actions to Expand Contraceptive Coverage: Since 2014, nearly a third of states have undertaken efforts to expand contraceptive access by mandating that health insurance plans cover the full range of contraceptive methods without cost-sharing and with limits on utilization controls. 

State Resources on Reproductive Well-Being: This is a one-stop-shop for Power to Decide's state-specific materials related to policy, federal funding, contraceptive landscape, and data. 

Sample Op-Eds / Blogs on State Contraceptive Landscapes: Use these state-specific sample op-eds/blogs to raise attention on the issues and solutions in your state. More states will be available in the near future. 

Contraceptive Deserts 101: Understand the basics about our birth control deserts and how to communicate their significance.

Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Birth Control: Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in expanding the authority of pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense some hormonal birth control methods. This fact sheet includes an overview of the policy, including benefits and implementation considerations, and a table summarizing policies in the 18 states that allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control. We have also created an infographic of this information. Also see our new state-specific pharmacist prescribing factsheets.

Extended Supply of Contraception: Twenty-three states (including DC) require insurers to increase the number of months for which they cover prescription contraceptives at one time. This fact sheet offers details on the laws in each of those states. We have also created an infographic of this information.

State Actions to Protect and Enhance the ACA's Contraceptive Coverage Provision: Federal guidelines require the majority of health insurance plans to cover at least one contraceptive for each of the 18 FDA approved methods, without copays or deductibles. This fact sheet details how some states have taken action to codify and/or expand upon the federal provision.

State Responses to the Title X Domestic Gag Rule: Though some states impacted by the gag rule have provided their own general funds as a stopgap measure, it is not reasonable that states can or should be able to replace the federal funding that they have received over many years.

Impacts of the Domestic Gag Rule: The domestic gag rule’s impact on birth control access is nothing short of catastrophic for people living on limited incomes. This fact sheet breaks down all of the impacts that the domestic gag rule has on women in the United States. 

State Policies to Increase Information About and Access to Contraception: This policy brief describes a number of emerging state policy trends to expand information about and access to birth control.

Introducing the Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit: A webinar recording with Power to Decide and their partners, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and R Street Institute. This webinar walked attendees through the digital toolkit to introduce them to the various resources contained inside.

External Resources:

Pharmacists Prescribing

Extended Supply

Telehealth

Miscellaneous

Advocates

Tip Sheet for Advocates: How to Use this Toolkit to Take Action: This tip sheet provides actionable ideas and linked resources from the tool kit to get you started.

Interactive State-by-State Maps

Infographics

Polling

  • Survey Says: Thanks, Birth Control 2021: Nearly seven in ten (69%) say they are concerned about future access to birth control (up from 51% in 2020). Democrats (74%), Independents (72%) and Republicans (55%) are all concerned about access to birth control. In addition, 85% of respondents—including 93% of Independents, 85% of Democrats and 76% of Republicans—believe all people, regardless of who they are, where they live or what their economic status may be deserve access to all methods of birth control.
  • Everyone Loves Birth Control: Birth control is directly linked to a wide array of benefits to women, men, children, and society, including fewer unplanned pregnancies. This brief is regularly updated with the latest data. 
  • Survey Says: Telehealth: Telehealth has proven to be a viable option for many people to obtain birth control. Telehealth can especially help overcome some of the common barriers associated to not being able to access contraception.
  • Survey Says: Telehealth and Income: The results of this survey result reflect a need to increase education so that everyone regardless of economic status can access contraception through telehealth.

 

Factsheets and Briefs

***Updated*** State Actions to Expand Contraceptive Coverage: Since 2014, nearly a third of states have undertaken efforts to expand contraceptive access by mandating that health insurance plans cover the full range of contraceptive methods without cost-sharing and with limits on utilization controls. 

Birth Control 101: Understand why everyone needs access to the full range of FDA approved methods of birth control.

Contraceptive Deserts 101: Understand the basics about our birth control deserts and how to communicate their significance.

Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Birth Control: Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in expanding the authority of pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense some hormonal birth control methods. This fact sheet includes an overview of the policy, including benefits and implementation considerations, and a table summarizing policies in the 18 states that allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control. We have also created an infographic of this information. Also see our new state-specific pharmacist prescribing factsheets. 

Extended Supply of Contraception: Twenty-three states (including D.C.)  require insurers to increase the number of months for which they cover prescription contraceptives at one time. This fact sheet offers details on the laws in each of those states. We have also created an infographic of this information.

State Resources on Reproductive Well-Being: This is a one-stop-shop for Power to Decide's state-specific materials related to policy, federal funding, contraceptive landscape, and data. 

Key State Policies at a Glance: This fact sheets details policies that help to expand access to and information about contraception.

Sample Op-Eds on State Contraceptive Landscapes: Use these state-specific sample op-eds/blogs to raise attention on the issues and solutions in your state. More states will be available in the near future. 

Introducing the Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit: A recording a webinar with Power to Decide and their partners, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and R Street Institute. This webinar walked attendees through the digital toolkit to introduce them to the various resources contained inside.

State Responses to the Title X Domestic Gag Rule: Though some states impacted by the gag rule have provided their own general funds as a stopgap measure, it is not reasonable that states can or should be able to replace the federal funding that they have received over many years.

External Resources:

Pharmacists Prescribing

Extended Supply

Telehealth

Miscellaneous

Resources for Everyone

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A One-Stop-Shop

Get all the information you need to know about state-level policies and resources that impact people's reproductive well-being in one place.  

View the Resources
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What's Your Landscape?

Nationally, 19 million women live in contraceptive deserts, or counties in which there is not reasonable access to a health center offering the full range of contraceptive methods. But the contraceptive landscape in every state is different. These facts show what access looks like on a state-by-state basis. 

Find Your State

From Our Partners

See how advocates and others are using our toolkit in their work. 

Telehealth

What does telehealth look like where you live? What can it do to improve access to quality reproductive health care? 

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Fact Sheet

Overview of State Telehealth Policies

Power to Decide have synthesized, analyzed, and visualized state-level telehealth policies pre-COVID and during COVID, with a focus on those impact birth control.
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Fact Sheet

State Telehealth Policies FAQ

The purpose of our maps and tables is to synthesize state-level telehealth reimbursement policies, with a focus on policies that facilitate contraceptive access.