The Alaska Legislature passed a bill Thursday that would require insurance companies to provide coverage for prescription contraceptives and to dispense a year’s worth of contraception at a time.
Under current Alaska Statute, patients can receive up to 90 days of a prescription at a time, and extended supplies can be obtained by request if a patient will not be able to access a pharmacy.
House Bill 17 requires insurance companies to dispense a year’s worth of contraception at a time. The bill would not require additional funds from the state, according to fiscal notes.
Representative Ashley Carrick (D-Fairbanks), the bill’s sponsor, said “Protecting health care access for all Alaskans is one of my highest priorities. Therefore, I am pleased the Senate passed HB 17 today which allows Alaskan women across our state, especially those who live and work in remote areas who often do not have consistent access to a pharmacy, to have improved access to contraceptives.”
Sen. Löki Gale Tobin said that this bill applies to many Alaska women who work on fishing boats and on the North Slope, and live in communities without consistent mail access.
“I think this bill is at heart an insurance bill,” Tobin said. “It’s a good piece of legislation, it’s a good piece of public policy.”
The bill originally included provisions to require insurance companies to cover over-the-counter emergency contraceptives, but that was removed by the House Health and Social Services Committee in March 2023.
Religious employers who oppose the coverage would be allowed to opt out, and the Senate Health and Social Services Committee clarified language relating to religious exemptions.
A 12-month supply of birth control reduces unplanned pregnancies by 30%, compared to a one to three month supply, according to the Alaska Public Health Association.
“This benefits the public, especially in rural areas where it is difficult to reach a pharmacy monthly, and it benefits insurers, whose costs are reduced when there are fewer unintended pregnancies,” a letter from the APHA stated.
The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA) stated in a letter that allowing for a 12-month prescription time-period reduces unwanted pregnancies, reduces healthcare costs and protects women in abusive relationships.
The Alaska Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers also voiced their support.
“Allowing access to a year’s supply of birth control would be less of a burden to the Alaskans utilizing birth control and allow them to control when they choose to get pregnant. With so many of our residents living in rural Alaska with limited access to fill prescriptions, this bill will save many residents money and time as well as allowing consistent access to contraception,” they wrote.
The bill passed the House of Representatives with 29 “yes” votes in March. It passed the Senate Thursday with 16 “yes” votes, with Sens. Robert Myers (R-North Pole), Mike Shower (R-Wasilla) and David Wilson (R-Wasilla) voting against the bill.
Sen. Claman (D-Anchorage), a member of the House of Representatives at the time, and then-Sen. Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) introduced similar legislation in 2016. Similar bills introduced in the past did not make it to the finish line of becoming law.
Contact Haley Lehman at 907-459-7575 or by email at hlehman@newsminer.com.
