LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – A Michigan House committee chaired by State Representative Julie Rogers of Kalamazoo Thursday heard testimony from members of the Democratic Caucus in support of a package of bills that would expand the coverage of birth control supplies for up to 12 months, allow pharmacists to write prescriptions for contraceptives, and require health insurance to cover those prescriptions.
Rogers, who is sponsoring one of the bills in the package, says that dispensing a year long supply of contraceptives will help ensure continuous and consistent use, “particularly for people who work, go to school, raise children or have other demanding schedules like working multiple jobs. This would also help those who live in rural areas or lack reliable transportation to visit their physician frequently.”
Supporters say allowing pharmacists to write prescriptions for birth control and having them covered by insurance will help reduce out-of-pocket costs and/or co-pays for patients. They say a recent report from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan revealed that one-third of Michigan’s 83 counties lack OB-GYNs, with even major urban centers like Detroit experiencing a scarcity of those health care providers.
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