Wyden co-sponsors bill to ensure birth control access

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., co-sponsored legislation Tuesday that would make sure women have affordable access to the birth control option that works best for them.

The Affordability is Access Act, co-sponsored by Wyden and 29 other senators, builds on work done in the Affordable Care Act to ensure that women would not have to pay out of pocket for this essential piece of health care coverage.

“Women’s access to affordable contraception should not be up for debate,” Wyden said. “It’s time to remove further obstacles to critical health care coverage for women, which is what Americans expect from their health care system in 2015.”

The Affordability is Access Act would make sure that if the Food and Drug Administration approves birth control pills for routine, daily use without a prescription, insurance companies must continue to cover them — so that women can have convenient, over-the-counter access without being forced to pay extra on top of their insurance, Wyden said.