The Massachusetts Medical
Society wishes to be recorded in strong support of the above referenced legislation
that would protect and promote access to preventative health care for patients
throughout the Commonwealth.
The Affordable Care Act has
provided women with access to preventative health care, including birth
control, by eliminating co-pays for that care. This bill would ensure the
continuation of that vital benefit for women throughout Massachusetts,
regardless of changes that may occur on the federal level. It would also build
on the work already accomplished through the ACA in this area by: requiring
that health plans accept physicians’ determinations, through conversation with
their patients, of what medication would best serve each patient’s needs;
guaranteeing insurance coverage for all FDA-approved contraceptives, rather
than covering one drug per category; promoting gender equity by covering birth
control procedures for men; eliminating the requirement that women obtain
prescriptions in order to receive emergency birth control without a copay; and
extending coverage for a single dispensing of birth control medications to
cover a 12-month supply of medication.
The MMS has longstanding
policy supporting the rights of citizens of the Commonwealth to receive
coverage for preventative health care such as contraception. The MMS “strongly
supports the rights of all individuals to health, happiness, and liberty
regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or nationality, and urges
all governments to recognize these rights.” Furthermore, the society “will
continue to strive for universal access to health care and nondiscrimination in
health care settings for all people.” This legislation would ensure vital
access to care for all persons in the Commonwealth, regardless of financial
situation or gender.
In particular, MMS policy
supports efforts to increase access to emergency contraception: “Physicians and
other health care professionals should be encouraged to...enhance efforts to
expand access to emergency contraception, including making emergency contraception
pills more readily available.” Specifically, “The MMS supports providing
emergency contraceptive medication to patients on an over-the-counter basis.”
The MMS therefore commends the provisions of this bill that would allow women
to continue to be able to access emergency contraception over the counter, but
without forcing them to choose between providing either a payment or a
prescription.
In addition, MMS policy
states that, “The MMS through legislation and administrative regulation shall
require insurers to allow contraceptive medication refills in a timely fashion
to maximize compliance.” Accordingly, the MMS supports the provisions in this
legislation that require coverage of contraceptives to last for 12 months.
The MMS urges the Committee
on Financial Services to support the above referenced legislation to ensure
that citizens of the Commonwealth receive continued and robust access to the
preventative health care to which they have a human right.
