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USA – On Thursday, CVS Health announced that its drug plans will now cover the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. at zero cost for numerous health plan sponsors. This decision has the potential to enable more individuals to prevent unintended pregnancies without needing a prescription.
CVS Caremark, the company’s pharmacy benefit manager, announced that the pill, known as Opill from Perrigo, will be included in its list of preventive services oral contraceptives. It will be covered at no cost for numerous sponsors. According to a pharmacy update from CVS Caremark dated last week and seen by CNBC, the drug became available in pharmacies starting April 1.
Pharmacy benefit managers, known as PBMs, curate lists of drugs covered by health insurance plans and negotiate discounts with drug manufacturers. Opill is priced at $19.99 for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply at most stores. The Food and Drug Administration approved Perrigo’s medication in July, marking the first instance where many U.S. residents can purchase birth control pills over the counter, similar to buying common medications like Tylenol or Advil.
The medication has the potential to greatly increase the accessibility of contraception, particularly for younger women and individuals in rural and underserved areas who frequently face challenges in accessing birth control options. Medical organizations have estimated that 45% of the 6 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended.
The introduction of the pill to the market is a victory for the Biden administration, which has aimed to bolster reproductive rights amid increasing abortion restrictions in numerous states. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling over a year ago, ending 50 years of federal abortion rights, has resulted in a reduced availability of the procedure across the country and has sparked renewed demands for broader access to birth control.
