Women could pick up a year’s worth of contraceptives at the pharmacy under a bill passed out of the House on Thursday.
House Bill 2465 requires private health insurers and Medicaid to reimburse women for a 12-month supply of contraceptive drugs. It passed with a vote of 91-6, and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Watch TVW video of the House floor here.
Rep. June Robinson, D-Everett, voted in support of the bill, saying she’s heard from many women who are waiting for this to go into effect.
“It’s a very common-sense solution to preventing unintended pregnancies,” she said. “It will make lives a lot easier for all women who use contraceptives.”
Rep. Melanie Stambaugh, R-Puyallup, also spoke in favor of the bill.
“This to me is about two crucial pieces for women, access and consistency,” she said. “Women who live in rural areas or have difficulty accessing transportation often have a hard time getting to their pharmacist to get a prescription.”