6. Let members of Congress know that you support increased funding for Title X, which provides millions of women throughout the United States with free or reduced cost family planning services, and that you support funding for international family planning programs.

In Detail

1. Become your own advocate. Find out whether your own health insurance plan provides coverage for the full range of contraceptive care and adequately protects your confidentiality.

A survey created by the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, Eighteen Questions to Ask About Your Contraceptive Care can help you be "insurance smart." If you discover that your own policy fails to measure up, take action to make a change. If you are covered by private insurance through your employer, urge the plan's administrators to revise your policy. If you purchase your own insurance, contact your health benefit provider directly. Members of unions should also make sure that union officials add contraceptive coverage to their list of topics for negotiation.

2. Urge employers, health insurers, and health plans in your area to include the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives and related medical services in their policies.

Start by asking all the organizations within your statewide coalition of pro-choice organizations or other groups working for social change to revise their own health benefit packages. Then identify large employers in your state or city - such as universities, Fortune 500 companies, and health care institutions - that may be willing to modify their employee health plans.

Meet with key management to seek the change. Large companies may self-insure or have enough clout to demand a modification of their health plans. Urge management at health insurance companies or managed care plans to amend their policies and use the change as a marketing tool to attract new business. Every time another company provides full coverage for contraceptive care, reward it with publicity.

3. Work with policymakers in your state to ensure that private insurance plans cover the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives and related medical services.

Passage of new state laws or regulations will benefit women and their families. It also demonstrates to Congress that there is widespread support for comprehensive contraceptive coverage in private health insurance plans. It will take both state and federal action to guarantee that health benefit plans provide this coverage.

4. Work to ensure that insurance coverage being offered to those enrolled in government employee benefit programs includes the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives and related medical services.

Changes in insurance coverage for government employees and members of the military benefit large numbers of women and their families. It also serves to spur private insurers to change the standard benefit package offered to private employees and self-insured individuals.

Federal employees will get contraceptive coverage for the first time in 1999. This provision, which requires contraceptive coverage in health plans offering benefits as part of the Federal Employees Health Benefit Act (FEHBA), is an important breakthrough, but it must be reauthorized each year. In addition, not all FEHBA plans will be required to cover contraceptive services. The law exempts health care plans from providing contraceptive coverage if they have a religious objection.

Effective advocacy for state and municipal employees requires an initial determination of how the coverage is set up and controlled, for example by the scope of private insurance, collective bargaining agreements, statutes or regulations. Full coverage for members of the military will require changes in the regulations governing the program.

5. Let members of Congress know that you support "The Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act" (EPICC), which would require private insurance plans that provide prescription benefits to cover the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives and related medical services.

First introduced in 1997, Congress has yet to take action on EPICC. The Act would ensure that contraception is covered by private insurance plans in the same manner as other non-contraceptive health care services.

6. Let members of Congress know that you support increased funding for Title X, which provides millions of women throughout the United States with free or reduced cost family planning services, and that you support funding for international family planning programs.

The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy can help you with all of these steps. Contact us for copies of legislation, sample letters, and other guidance.
Main Office: 917-637-3678, fax: 212-514-5538
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