MORE THAN 400,000 WOMEN IN VIRGINIA LIVE IN CONTRACEPTIVE DESERTS

(Washington, D.C.) — Research from Power to Decide shows that 407,310 women in Virginia who are already struggling to make ends meet live in contraceptive deserts, counties in which there is not reasonable access to a health center offering the full range of contraceptive methods. Currently, across the country more than 19 million U.S. women in need live in contraceptive deserts.

“More than 400,000 women in need in Virginia are faced with undue barriers to accessing the contraception they need and deserve. These women, who are living in contraceptive deserts, are faced with having to endure extra costs for transportation, child care, and taking unpaid time off from work – a luxury that most cannot afford,” said Ginny Ehrlich, CEO, Power to Decide. “However, Virginia has alleviated some of these barriers through policies such as Medicaid expansion for childless adults.”

Specifically, Virginia has expanded Medicaid to childless adults, and by extension, given them contraceptive coverage. In addition, Virginia requires insurance coverage for an extended supply of prescription contraception and allows Medicaid reimbursement for postpartum long-acting reversible contraception. More information about these policies can be found here.

“Virginia has made great strides, but even more could be done,” said Ehrlich. “By enacting state policies that allow pharmacists to prescribe contraception and protect contraceptive coverage for the full range of methods, more women in Virginia could have more ready access to some methods of contraception.”

Power to Decide is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to ensure all people—no matter who they are, where they live or what their economic status might be—have the power to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child. Please visit us at www.PowerToDecide.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.