Briefly - Policy Brief: Facts About Contraception
As elected officials, candidates, and pundits grapple with issues related to contraception, The National Campaign thought it would be
helpful to offer a few key facts about unplanned pregnancy and contraception in the United States.
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Administration Announces Final Rule for Contraceptive Coverage in the Preventive Services Provision
On January 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that a final rule will require most health plans to cover contraceptive services without co-pays or deductibles, effective August 1, 2012. The Department chose to continue the relatively narrow conscience exemption for certain religious organizations but chose to give other religiously affiliated organizations an additional year, until August 1, 2013 to comply.
Read the statement
The National Campaign’s Statement on Congress Passing FY 2012 Appropriations Bill.
On December 16 and 17, 2011, the House and Senate respectively passed an omnibus appropriations bill funding federal programs through the remainder of FY 2012. The bill was the product of extensive negotiations among House and Senate appropriators of both parties and reflects a number of evident compromises. The bill essentially maintains level funding for most key programs to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy.
Read the Campaign's statement
HHS Decides Not to Make Plan B One-Step Emergency Contraception More Widely Available
On December 7, 2011 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius did not accept the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration to make Plan B One-Step emergency contraception (EC) available without a prescription to those under 17.
Read the Campaign's statement
HHS Announces Coverage of All Contraceptives with No Out-of-Pocket Costs
On August 1, 2011 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that HHS will adopt the recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Women’s Preventive Services Study Committee and require health insurers to cover “all Food and Drug Administration approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity” without co-pays or deductibles for patients. HHS also adopted all seven other IOM women’s preventive services recommendations. HHS also issued a “notice of proposed rulemaking” that allows certain religious institutions that offer insurance to their employees the choice of whether or not to cover contraception services.
Read the Campaign’s statement
The National Campaign’s Statement on IOM Recommendations that Birth Control Should Be Covered for ALL Insured Women
On July 19, 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Women's Preventive Services Study Committee recommended that health insurers cover "the full range of Food and Drug Administration approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity" without co-pays or deductibles for patients. The IOM also recommended including at least one well-woman preventive care visit annually for women.
Read the IOM report
Read the Campaign’s statement
Briefly - Policy Brief: Preventing Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy Makes Good Economic Sense
Teen and unplanned pregnancy costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year, and contributes to a cycle of poor education and other outcomes that affect the long-term strength of our workforce. This brief summarizes key research on the economic arguments for why cutting funding for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs or Title X, or weakening Medicaid family planning in any way would be penny wise and pound foolish.
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Briefly - Policy Brief: The Benefits of Expanding Medicaid Family Planning
Expanding access to Medicaid family planning services reduces unplanned pregnancy and produces substantial cost savings for state and federal budgets. States should expand Medicaid family planning through either a waiver or state plan amendment. Both options yield significant cost savings and ensure that Medicaid family planning services are more widely available to the women and men who need them.
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National Campaign Letter on Title X Funding
On April 25, 2011 The National Campaign submitted its Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 appropriations request for the Title X Family Planning Program. The National Campaign requested a funding level of $327 million, consistent with the President’s FY 2012 budget.
Click here to view the House letter
Click here to view the Senate letter
Is Contraception a Code Word?
An op-ed by Campaign CEO Sarah Brown.
The Washington Post (March 26, 2011)
The National Campaign Statement on FY 2011 Budget Agreement
On April 12th, Congressional appropriators released the details of the Continuing Resolution agreed upon over the weekend by President Obama, Speaker John Boehner, and Majority Leader Harry Reid to fund the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2011. This includes funding for two important programs that help to reduce teen and unplanned pregnancy: the Office of Adolescent Health’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative at $105 million (down from $110 million) and the Title X Family Planning Program at $300 million (down from $317 million). The deal also requires stand-alone votes to prohibit any funds within the spending bill from going to Planned Parenthood or its affiliates and to defund the Affordable Care Act. In response to this, The National Campaign issued this statement.
Read the statement
Why Aren't Faith Leaders Top Advocates for Birth Control?
An op-ed by Campaign CEO
Sarah Brown.
The Washington Post (March 4, 2011)
The National Campaign Opposes Eliminating Title X
On February 9th House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers released a list of proposed cuts to Fiscal Year 2011 spending which would include the elimination of the Title X family planning program. In response to this, The National Campaign issued this statement.
Read the statement
Briefly - Policy Brief: Title X Plays a Critical Role in Preventing Unplanned Pregnancy
Over the past 38 years, Title X, the nation’s federally-funded family planning program, has played a critical role in preventing unplanned pregnancy by offering low-income and uninsured individuals access to high-quality contraceptive services, preventive screenings, and health education. Unfortunately, demand for these services far exceeds the supply and years of inadequate funding increases that have failed to keep pace with inflation have forced program providers to offer fewer contraceptive choices and limit services.
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The National Campaign Submits “Making the Case: Family Planning is a Key Preventive Service” to IOM Women’s Preventive Services Study Committee
On November 16, 2010, Sarah Brown, CEO of The National Campaign, testified before the IOM Women’s Preventive Services Committee. Ms. Brown addressed the need for the committee to take a broad view of what defines prevention, while addressing both the immediate preventive health benefits of family planning and the broader, more long-term benefits to children, families, and society. Ms. Brown also submitted a paper making the case for family planning as a preventive service.
Download a copy
Briefly: Lessons Learned from Massachusetts: Effects on Young Adults' Access to Contraceptive Services (2010)
With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) – P. L. 111-148 – on March 23, 2010, the focus of health reform immediately shifted to implementation. As federal and state policymakers, health insurance plans, providers, and others take action to implement the new law, it is instructive to consider some lessons from Massachusetts. This brief specifically reviews some of the lessons with respect to young adults’ access to contraceptive services.
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National Campaign Letter of Support for Title X (2010)
National Campaign CEO Sarah Brown wrote these letters to Rep. David Obey, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Todd Tiahrt, Ranking Member of the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee, in support of past and future funding dedicated to Title X.
Download a copy (Letter to the Chairman)
Download a copy (Letter to the Ranking Member)
The National Campaign Statement on Signing of H.R. 3590 and Passage of H.R. 4872
On March 25, 2010, Congress passed H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010. The passage of this budget reconciliation package includes important previously agreed upon modifications to the Senate health reform legislation (H.R. 3590 – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) which was passed earlier in the week. The National Campaign released the following statement on the signing of H.R. 3590 and the passage of H.R. 4872.
Read the statement
Summary of Provisions Related to Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy in H.R. 3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. This landmark health reform legislation, which will be phased in over the next four years, includes numerous provisions to improve the nation’s health care system, including several related to teen and unplanned pregnancy. The following chart provides a brief synopsis of the provisions that are related to these critical social issues.
Download the summary
Family Planning Provisions in Current Federal Law & Health Reform Proposals
Congress has a long history of recognizing the value of family planning services by consistently and explicitly including family planning as a core part of publicly-funded health programs. In most cases, family planningi is included within the framework of preventive services. This robust record means that including family planning as part of health reform would simply be extending a long-standing commitment to this set of preventive services, which is separate and distinct from abortion. The following is actual language pertaining to family planning in existing law and in the various health reform bills currently under consideration in Congress.
Download Family Planning Provisions in Current Federal Law & Health Reform Proposals
National Campaign Statement in Support of the Ryan DeLauro Bill
The National Campaign has long believed that reducing conflict and respecting a range of deeply held opinions is essential to making progress on the important issue of reducing both teen and unintended/unplanned pregnancy. The Preventing Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act, authored by Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Tim Ryan (D-OH), is an important example of this reasonable, inclusive perspective.
Read the Statement
Read the full Bill here
Read a 1-page summary of the Bill here
Read a 4-page summary of the Bill here
Read statements of support for the Bill here
Fast Facts: Existing Family Planning Coverage in Public and Private Insurance Systems
As lawmakers advance health reform, it is necessary to ensure that affordability is not achieved at the expense of quality. One key marker of achieving this balance will be providing coverage for at least the benefits already in most typical health insurance plans. Family planning services are widely used and widely supported and are also covered by most public and private insurance plans or systems. In fact, family planning services are a core element of several public programs. The following fact sheet highlights existing coverage of family planning services and supplies in the public and private insurance plans.
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Fast Facts: Existing Family Planning Coverage in Public and Private Insurance Systems
Briefly - Policy Brief: Contraceptive Equity
Access to affordable and effective contraception is integral to preventing unplanned pregnancy. Half of all pregnancies in the United
States are unplanned, and more than one-third (1.1 million) are to unmarried women in their twenties. Helping young women and men improve pregnancy planning and prevention requires responsible behavior coupled with responsible policies that ensure access not only to affordable family planning services but also to effective prescription drugs and devices.
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Briefly - Policy Brief: Restoring Affordable Birth Control
An unintended consequence of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) has been the dramatic increase in the price of contraceptives for non-Title X clinics, which has left many college students and low-income women unable to access low-cost, effective methods of contraception. Left uncorrected, more young adults will be unable to get the services that help them avoid unplanned pregnancy.
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Briefly: Strengthening America’s Family Planning Safety Net in the Context of Health Reform
Reducing the stubbornly high levels of unplanned pregnancy in the U.S. will require both personal responsibility on the part of individuals as well as responsible policies that give women and men the information and services they need to plan pregnancy. This brief explores such ideas in greater detail.
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Contraception 101: A Capitol Hill Briefing
This briefing brought together a panel of experts to discuss the latest information about an array of contraceptive options, including newer methods such as “the patch” and “the ring” and other long-acting reversible contraceptives.
Visit the briefing webpage
Fast Facts: Making the Case for Family Planning Coverage in Health Reform
Congress has a long history of recognizing the value of family planning services by including it as a core part of its public programs. In addition to improving health outcomes, this preventive benefit is both affordable and cost-effective for consumers, employers, and the government alike. This fact sheet summarizes the government’s long-standing commitment to this set of services and the cost-benefit of family planning coverage.
Download Fast Facts: Making the Case for Family Planning Coverage in Health Reform
Fast Facts: Men in the United States: Unplanned Pregnancy,Sexual Activity, and Contraceptive Use (Data as of 2002)
Download Fast Facts: Men in the United States: Unplanned Pregnancy,Sexual Activity, and Contraceptive Use (Data as of 2002)
Fast Facts: Teen Sexual Behavior and Contraceptive Use: Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that positive changes in high school teens’ sexual behavior
and contraceptive use have stalled. At present, nearly half of all teens have ever had sex and more than one-third are sexually active (that is,
they have had sex in the past three months).
Download Fast Facts: Teen Sexual Behavior and Contraceptive Use: Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007
Letter of Support: Nominal Drug Pricing
Download Letter of Support: Nominal Pricing
A Look at Latinos: Latino Teen Sexual Behavior and Contraceptive Use
Since
the teen pregnancy rate among Latinas is not decreasing as
quickly as the overall national rate—more than half of all
Latina girls experience a pregnancy before they turn 20— it is important to explore the sexual behavior and
contraceptive use patterns of Latinos.
Download A Look at Latinos: Latino Teen Sexual Behavior and Contraceptive Use
Rescission Proposal Comments
The National Campaign submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services in support of the Obama Administration’s proposal to rescind the rule enacted by the Bush Administration entitled, ““Ensuring That Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law,” which could adversely affect access to contraception in the U.S. and exacerbate the nation’s already high rates of teen and unplanned pregnancy.
Download a copy of the latest statement
Science Says #29: Teen Contraceptive Use
This Science Says issue brief presents information on contraceptive
use among sexually experienced teens.
Download Science Says #29: Teen Contraceptive Use