Alaska Legislature poised to approve expanding access to birth control

JUNEAU — The Alaska Legislature is slated to approve a bill that would allow Alaska women to get a year’s worth of prescription birth control at one time.

Supporters of House Bill 17 say extending the amount of birth control medicines given by pharmacies from the current limit of 90 days would be particularly impactful for women in rural Alaska. Under the measure, insurance companies and Medicaid would be require to cover prescription contraceptives without a co-payment.

The Senate on Thursday approved the measure in a 16-3 vote. The House passed the bill in March with broad support.

Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, presented HB 17 on the Senate floor before Thursday’s final vote. She said the measure would be critical for women living and working in remote communities.

“This is incredibly important because across our state, we have folks who are unable to get to a pharmacy when they may need to find a refill,” she said.

In the House, supporters said getting one year of birth control would also be convenient for women in urban Alaska, as it would eliminate the need for more frequent trips to pharmacies.

Measures to extend insurance coverage for contraceptives have been introduced by each Alaska Legislature since 2016. None have passed both legislative chambers until Thursday.

HB 17 has been amended as it advanced through the legislative process. Specific exemptions were added to allow religious employers to deny birth control coverage. Provisions to include emergency contraception, such as Plan B, were removed from the bill as it advanced.

After passing the Senate, the bill will now return to the House. Supporters expect the House will approve the Senate’s minor changes to the bill, and send it along to the governor’s desk for his consideration.

Rep. Ashley Carrick, a Fairbanks Democrat who carried the bill in the House, said by text message that she was hopeful the measure will be taken up in an “expedient fashion” before the regular legislative session ends Wednesday at midnight.