A new provision that will make birth control more affordable for college-aged
and low-income women was included in the fiscal year 2009 omnibus spending bill President
Obama signed
into law last week.
The provision will restore an
exemption from Medicaid pricing that allows young women (at college health
clinics, Planned Parenthood offices, and other family-planning centers) to
access low-priced contraceptives. The price break was originally eliminated in
2005 through the Deficit Reduction Act.
In December of 2007, Public Advocate Gotbaum called on members of the House to co-sponsor legislation that would allow college students and low-income women to have access to affordable contraceptives. At that time, she sent letters to all the NYC House representatives, stating that "Congress should take steps to improve access to affordable birth control to support efforts to encourage young people to be responsible for their reproductive health." Read the Full Letter to NYC Reps re Birth Control [pfd].
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