,,ii #aai? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #eeci ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,septemb] #bd1 #bjbf,mrs4 ,murray 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,cortez ,ma/o1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,ms4 ,baldw91 ,mr4 ,b5net1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,mr4 ,book]1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1 ,ms4 ,duckwor?1 ,mr4 ,fett]man1 ,mr4 ,gallego1 ,mrs4 ,gillibr&1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 ,mr4 ,he9ri*1 ,mr4 ,hick5loop]1 ,mr4 ,ka9e1 ,ms4 ,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,m>key1 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,mr4 ,re$1 ,ms4 ,ros51 ,mr4 ,s&]s1 ,mr4 ,s*atz1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 ,mrs4 ,%ahe51 ,ms4 ,smi?1 ,mr4 ,van ,holl51 ,mr4 ,w>n]1 ,ms4 ,w>r51 ,mr4 ,:iteh\se1 & ,mr4 ,wyd57 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions ,a ,,bill ,to require gr\p heal? plans & gr\p or individual heal? insurance cov]age to provide cov]age = ov]-!-c\nt] contraceptives4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,af=dability is ,access ,act ( #bjbf4 #b4 ,purpose ,! purpose ( ?is ,act is to ensure timely access to af=dable bir? control by requir+ cov]age )\t co/-%>+ = contraceptives t are approv$1 grant$1 or cle>$ by1 or o!rwise legally m>ket$ "u regulation by1 ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration = use )\t a prescription4 #c4 ,f9d+s ,! ,s5ate f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,bir? control is critical heal? c>e t almo/ all wom51 z well z _m trans m5 & nonb9>y p1 w use at "s po9t 9 _! lifetimes4 7#b7 ,access to ! full range ( reproductive heal? c>e1 includ+ bir? control cov]age z gu>ante$ "u ,f$]al law1 provides individuals ) ! opportunity to lead heal?y lives & get ! c>e !y ne$ to rea* _! goals4 7#c7 ,contraceptive access is associat$ ) heal? b5efits = wom51 newborns1 families1 & communities & c l[] ! risk ( h>m to mat]nal & infant heal?4 7#d7 ,an e/imat$ #ge1fjj1jjj wom5 ( reproductive age 7ages #ae ?r\gh #di7 live 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 ,among ! #cf1cjj1jjj ( su* wom5 :o are sexually active & n seek+ *ildr51 #hg p]c5t use a =m ( bir? control4 7#e7 ,! bir? control b5efit enact$ "u ! ,pati5t ,protection & ,af=dable ,c>e ,act 7,public ,law #aaa-adh7 has be5 a crucial /ep =w>d 9 advanc+ access to bir? control & has help$ ensure #fb1ajj1jjj wom5 h ! p[] to decide = !mselves if & :5 to become pregnant4 7#f7 ,despite legal requirem5ts = bir? control cov]age & access to s]vices1 gaps rema9 = millions ( individuals4 ,tw5ty-five p]c5t ( curr5t & prospective contraceptive us]s are n us+ _! pref]r$ me?od1 & ( ^? wom51 #ah p]c5t say x is because ( co/4 ,z a result1 _m wom5 h gone )\t ! bir? control !y want to use1 also creat+ inconsi/5t use4 ,access to bir? control is p>ticul>ly difficult = ! #ba1djj1jjj wom5 9 ne$ ( publicly fund$ contraception t live 9 a c\nty ) a contraceptive access gap & lack reasonable access to a heal? c5t] t (f]s ! full range ( contraceptive me?ods4 7#g7 ,due to sy/emic discrim9ation1 p paid l[ wages1 p ( color1 ,,lgbtq individuals1 immigrants1 & p ) disabilities are m likely to face b>ri]s to1 & lack access to1 heal? cov]age & heal? c>e provid]s4 7#h7 ,!re are num]\s social & economic factors t make x h>d] to access bir? control1 includ+ ris+ income & weal? inequality1 gaps 9 insurance cov]age1 & b>ri]s to access+ heal? provid]s4 7#i7 ,lead+ heal? exp]ts support ov]-!-c\nt] bir? control pills4 #d4 ,s5se ( ! ,s5ate ,x is ! s5se ( ! ,s5ate t-- 7#a7 9 ord] to increase access to oral bir? control1 su* bir? control mu/ be bo? easi] to obta9 & af=dable &1 to make su* bir? control ei!r easi] to obta9 or m af=dable1 b n bo?1 is to leave unacceptable b>ri]s 9 place2 7#b7 wom5 are (t5 d5i$ cov]age = ! new] contraceptive products on ! m>ket1 ev5 ?\gh contraceptives are requir$ by law to be cov]$ at #ajj p]c5t1 :i* bo? limits pati5ts' options & disc\rages ! developm5t ( new contraceptive products2 7#c7 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 :5 sold )\t a prescription1 apply to ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration = review & approval = sale ( su* bir? control )\t a prescription2 7#d7 ^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$]al ,food1 ,drug1 & ,cosmetic ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #cja et seq471 & if ! product meets ^? /&>ds1 ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration %\ld approve ! application )\t delay2 & 7#e7 if & :5 ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration approves an oral bir? control t is available ov]-!-c\nt]1 su* bir? control %\ld be cov]$ by heal? insurance1 )\t a prescription & )\t co/-%>+4 #e4 ,cl>ify+ cov]age requirem5ts ,! ,secret>ies ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1 ,labor1 & ! ,treasury %all cl>ify t cov]age ( contraceptives pursuant to section #bgac7;a77#d7 ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;gg-#ac7;a77#d77 includes cov]age (-- 7#a7 all ov]-!-c\nt] contraceptives approv$1 grant$1 or cle>$ by ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration1 ev5 if ! enrollee does n h a prescription = ! contraceptive2 & 7#b7 all prescription contraceptives approv$1 grant$1 or cle>$ by ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration1 except t1 9 ! case ( any prescription drug contraceptive = :i* !re is at lea/ "o drug or drug-l$ comb9ation product t is a !rapeutic equival5t 7z def9$ 9 section #cad4c7;b7 ( title #ba1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations 7or any successor regulations771 su* cov]age %all be requir$ ) respect to only "o su* contraceptive among su* !rapeutically equival5t drugs or drug-l$ comb9ation products4 #f4 ,rules ( con/ruction 7a7 ,non-,int]f]5ce ) ,,fda regulation ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %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$ical consid]ations ( ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration1 or alt] any o!r au?ority ( ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration4 7b7 ,non-,preemption ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act preempts any provision ( ,f$]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 contraception = use )\t a prescription 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,any retail] t /ocks contraception t is approv$1 grant$1 or cle>$ 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* contraception or access to m$ically accurate1 compreh5sive in=mation ab\t su* contraception4 7b7 ,limitation ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all prohibit a retail] t /ocks ov]-!-c\nt] contraceptive products f refus+ to provide an individual ) su* contraceptive product t is approv$1 grant$1 or cle>$ by1 or o!rwise legally m>ket$ "u regulation by1 ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration if ! individual is unable to pay = ! contraceptive product1 directly1 ?r\gh insurance cov]age1 or ?r\gh o!r paym5t me*anism4