Funding Strategies Technical Expert Panel
By Lisa Stern
The Coalition to Expand Contraceptive Access (CECA) recently held a technical expert panel (TEP) that brought together 27 thought leaders with diverse expertise to discuss major challenges facing contraceptive access and opportunities for improvement. Among the topics we discussed were how to address costs, increase access to reproductive health care, foster innovation in care delivery, and how forward-thinking policies are critical to ensuring high-quality contraceptive care.
While the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid guarantee that most people can access contraception without cost-sharing, many still face significant barriers to contraceptive care because they are uninsured or lack geographic access to health care services, among other reasons. Furthermore, programs and requirements can be difficult to navigate and to comprehend for both patients and providers.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the TEP that will be considered as CECA moves forward in our work to expand access to contraception:
Information, points of access, cost/coverage, policies and quality are key.
The US is overdue for an over-the-counter oral contraceptive, which is available in 100+ countries.
Contraception is only 1% of Medicaid budget, but small expenditures can make a big difference in people’s health and lives.
Adequate funding enables providers to practice according to guidelines, meet performance measures, center patients’ needs, and integrate innovations.
The outputs of this TEP will be combined with additional literature and stakeholder engagement opportunities to shape CECA’s recommendations.
For more information on funding strategies, or other methods of expanding contraception access, you can read our issue briefs here.