,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #aecb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #i1 #bjae ,mrs4  
,murray 7= h]self1 ,mrs4 ,box]1 ,mrs4   
,%ahe51 ,mr4 ,reid1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,ms4
 ,baldw91 ,mr4 ,b5net1 ,mr4 ,book]1 ,mr4
 ,br[n1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1 ,mr4 ,c>d91 ,mr4
 ,durb91 ,mrs4 ,fe9/e91 ,mrs4 ,gillibr&1
 ,mr4 ,he9ri*1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,ka9e1
 ,ms4 ,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mrs4      
,mc,caskill1 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 ,ms4         
,mikulski1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,s&]s1    
,mr4 ,s*atz1 ,mr4 ,s*um]1 ,mr4 ,frank51 
,ms4 ,/ab5[1 ,ms4 ,w>r51 ,mr4 ,wyd51 &  
,mr4 ,m55dez7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2  
:i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1       
,labor1 & ,p5sions  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
ensure timely access to af=dable bir?   
control = wom54  #a4 ,%ort title  ,?is  
,act may be cit$ z ! ,af=dability ,is   
,access ,act4  #b4 ,purpose ,! purpose (
 ?is ,act is to ensure timely access to 
af=dable bir? control by requir+ cov]age
 )\t co/-%>+ = oral bir? control =      

r\t9e1 daily use t is approv$ by1 or    
o!rwise legally m>ket$ "u regulation by1
 ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration = use by 
wom5 )\t a prescription4  #c4 ,f9d+s    
,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7    
,access to ! full range ( heal? b5efits 
& prev5tive s]vices1 includ+ access to  
bir? control1 z gu>ante$ "u ,f$]al law1 
provides all p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ) !    
opportunity to lead heal?i] & m         
productive lives4  7#b7 ,bir? control is
 a critical heal? c>e b5efit & s]vice = 
wom54 ,almo/ all wom5 use bir? control  
at "s po9t 9 _! lifetimes4 ,! ,c5t]s =  
,disease ,control & ,prev5tion decl>$ x 
"o ( ! ,t5 ,great ,public ,heal?        
,a*ievem5ts ( ! #bj? ,c5tury4  7#c7     
,bir? control prev5ts & r$uces un9t5d$  
pregnancies & provides _m heal? &       
socioeconomic b5efits = wom54 ,wom5 )   
access to bir? control are m likely to h
 high] educational & c>e] a*ievem5t1 &  
to e>n high] wages4  7#d7 ,af=dability &
 timely access h long be5 b>ri]s = wom5 
be+ able to use bir? control4 ,_m wom5  

/ruggle to obta9 ! bir? control !y ne$  
because ( co/ or o!r access b>ri]s1 :i* 
has contribut$ to ! high un9t5d$        
pregnancy rate 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 ,a    
national survey f\nd t #a 9 #c wom5 h   
/ruggl$ to af=d bir? control at "s po9t 
9 _! lives1 & z a result1 h us$ bir?    
control inconsi/5tly4 ,! rate is ev5    
high] = "y wom5 :o are mo/ likely to    
exp]i5ce an un9t5d$ pregnancy4  7#e7    
,?ree sep>ate /udies h f\nd t lack (    
heal? cov]age is significantly associat$
 ) r$uc$ use ( prescription             
contraceptive me?ods1 includ+ bir?      
control4  7#f7 ,! ,pati5t ,protection & 
,af=dable ,c>e ,act 7,public ,law       
#aaa-adh7 s\ght to remove b>ri]s to c>e 
& improve access by requir+ all new     
heal? plans to cov] recomm5d$ prev5tive 
s]vices )\t co/-%>+1 :i* include wom5's 
prev5tive s]vices1 includ+ all          
contraceptive me?ods1 includ+ bir?      
control & /]ilization = wom5 approv$ by 
! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration & relat$  
education & c\nsel+4  7#g7 ,! ,pati5t   

,protection & ,af=dable ,c>e ,act wom5's
 prev5tive s]vices b5efit has           
significantly improv$ wom5's access to  
bir? control1 includ+ oral bir? control 
= r\t9e1 daily use4 ,! ,dep>tm5t (      
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices has report$ t1 
z ( #bjad1 m ?an #ee1jjj1jjj wom5 are   
b5efitt+ f cov]age )\t co/-%>+ = wom5's 
prev5tive s]vices1 includ+ bir? control1
 "u ! ,pati5t ,protection & ,af=dable   
,c>e ,act4 ,wom5 h sav$ m ?an           
#dhc1jjj1jjj 9 out-(-pocket co/s = bir? 
control ) no copaym5ts 9 #bjab comp>$ to
 #bjac1 an av]age sav+s ( #bfi p] woman4
  7#h7 ,! mo/ appropriate me?od ( bir?  
control v>ies accord+ to ea* individual 
woman's ne$s1 m$ical hi/ory1 & /age (   
life4 ,= in/ance1 wom5 may h m$ical     
contra9dications t limit _! ability to  
use c]ta9 bir? control me?ods4 ,x is    
critical t ! full range ( bir? control  
me?ods approv$ by ! ,food & ,drug       
,adm9i/ration are available & cov]$ )\t 
co/-%>+ 9 ord] to ensure t ea* woman has
 access to ! bir? control me?od t be/   

meet h] ne$s4  7#i7 ,! det]m9ation z to 
:e!r a drug %\ld be available = use )\t 
a prescription is appropriately & solely
 made by ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration4 
,to ensure ! safety & efficacy ( a drug1
 includ+ a drug available = ov]-!-c\nt] 
use1 ! appropriate sci5tific & m$ical   
p]sonnel at ! ,food & ,drug             
,adm9i/ration1 (t5 ) input f indep5d5t  
advisory panels ( exp]ts1 review cl9ical
 & o!r data relat+ to ! safety &        
efficacy ( ! drug4 ,?is sci5tific &     
m$ical review c occur z "p ( ! ,food &  
,drug ,adm9i/ration's ov]-!-c\nt] drug  
review = pot5tial inclusion 9 a         
monograph z g5]ally recogniz$ z safe &  
effective1 or z "p ( ! review ( a new   
drug application 7or an abbreviat$ new  
drug application74 ,z "p ( ^! regulatory
 processes1 ! appropriate sci5tific &   
m$ical p]sonnel review cl9ical & o!r    
data1 includ+ data g5]at$ 9 controll$   
cl9ical trials4 ,! ,food & ,drug        
,adm9i/ration also reviews consum]      
/udies & monitors po/-m>ket+ safety     

data4 ,all ( ^! processes ensure t !    
appropriate sci5tific & m$ical p]sonnel 
make ! det]m9ation ( safety1 quality1 & 
efficacy ( drugs m>ket$ to ! p ( !      
,unit$ ,/ates4  7#aj7 ,lead+ wom5's     
heal? exp]ts1 provid]s1 & m$ical        
associations1 includ+ ! ,am]ican        
,college ( ,ob/etricians & ,gynecologi/s
 & ! ,am]ican ,academy ( ,family        
,physicians1 support full insurance     
cov]age & increas$ access to oral bir?  
control ov]-!-c\nt]4 ,9 #bjab1 !        
,am]ican ,college ( ,ob/etricians &     
,gynecologi/s issu$ a ,committee ,op9ion
 recomm5d+ approval by ! ,food & ,drug  
,adm9i/ration ( c]ta9 =ms ( bir? control
 = ov]-!-c\nt] use to increase timely   
access to bir? control4 ,fur!rmore1 data
 demon/rates t bir? control t is        
available ov]-!-c\nt] has public support
 & w\ld increase bir? control usage &   
cont9uation4 ,! ,committee ,op9ion      
foll[$ simil> recomm5dations made by    
lead+ reproductive heal? exp]ts &       
publi%$ 9 ! ,am]ican ,j\rnal ( ,public  

,heal?4  7#aa7 ,rese>* %[s t bir?       
control available ov]-!-c\nt]1 z an     
addition to1 n a sub/itute =1 ! wom5's  
prev5tive heal? b5efit "u ! ,pati5t     
,protection & ,af=dable ,c>e ,act1 w\ld 
increase accessibility = oral bir?      
control = r\t9e1 daily use4  #d4 ,s5se (
 ! ,s5ate ,x is ! s5se ( ! ,s5ate t--   
7#a7 9 ord] to increase wom5's access to
 oral bir? control1 x mu/ be bo? easi]  
to obta9 & af=dable &1 to make x ei!r   
easi] to obta9 or m af=dable1 b n bo?1  
is to leave unacceptable b>ri]s 9 place 
= wom52  7#b7 x is imp]ative t !        
entities t rese>* & develop oral bir?   
control & ^: m$ical & sci5tific exp]ts h
 develop$ cl9ical & o!r evid5ce t oral  
bir? control = r\t9e1 daily use is safe 
& effective = wom5 :5 sold )\t a        
prescription1 apply to ! ,food & ,drug  
,adm9i/ration = review & approval = sale
 ( su* bir? control )\t a prescription2 
7#c7 ^u ! receipt ( su* an application1 
! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration %\ld      
det]m9e :e!r ! oral bir? control meets !

 rigor\s safety1 efficacy1 & quality    
/&>ds = ov]-!-c\nt] use "u ! ,f$]al     
,food1 ,drug1 & ,cosmetic ,act 7#ba     
,u4,s4,c4 #cja et seq471 & if ! product 
meets ^? /&>ds1 ! ,food & ,drug         
,adm9i/ration %\ld approve ! application
 )\t delay2 &  7#d7 if & :5 ! ,food &   
,drug ,adm9i/ration approves an oral    
bir? control t is available ov]-!-c\nt]1
 su* bir? control %\ld be cov]$ by heal?
 insurance1 )\t a prescription & )\t    
co/-%>+4  #e4 ,ensur+ cov]age ( oral    
bir? control = use )\t a prescription   
,section #bgac7;a77#d7 ( ! ,public      
,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4      
#cjj;gg-#ac7;a77#d77 is am5d$ by ins]t+ 
7includ+ oral contraceptives = r\t9e1   
daily use approv$ by ! ,food & ,drug    
,adm9i/ration = use )\t a prescription1 
ev5 if ! individual does n h a          
prescription = su* contraceptive7 aft]  
additional prev5tive c>e4  #f4 ,rules ( 
con/ruction  7a7 ,non-,int]f]5ce ) ,,fda
 regulation ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act 7or !      
am5dm5t made by ?is ,act7 %all be       

con/ru$ to modify or int]f]e ) ,food &  
,drug ,adm9i/ration processes to review 
or approve1 or o!rwise det]m9e ! safety 
& efficacy (1 & make available1         
non-prescription drugs or devices1      
modify or int]f]e ) ! sci5tific & m$ical
 consid]ations ( ! ,food & ,drug        
,adm9i/ration1 or alt] any o!r au?ority 
( ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration4  7b7   
,non-,preemption ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act 7or ! 
am5dm5t made by ?is ,act7 preempts any  
provision ( ,f$]al or ,/ate law to !    
ext5t t su* ,f$]al or ,/ate law provides
 protections = consum]s t are great] ?an
 ! protections provid$ = 9 ?is ,act4    
#g4 ,duties ( retail]s to ensure access 
to oral bir? control = use )\t a        
prescription  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,any retail] 
t /ocks oral bir? control = r\t9e1 daily
 use t is approv$ by1 or o!rwise legally
 m>ket$ "u regulation by1 ! ,food &     
,drug ,adm9i/ration = use )\t a         
prescription may n int]f]e ) an         
individual's access to or pur*ase ( su* 
bir? control or access to m$ically      

accurate1 compreh5sive in=mation ab\t   
su* bir? control4  7b7 ,limitation ,no?+
 9 ?is section %all prohibit a retail] t
 /ocks oral bir? control = r\t9e1 daily 
use f refus+ to provide an individual ) 
su* oral bir? control t is approv$ by1  
or o!rwise legally m>ket$ "u regulation 
by1 ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration if !  
individual is unable to pay = ! bir?    
control1 directly or ?r\gh insurance    
cov]age4