Oregon health officials this week announced a new policy change to make it easier for people enrolled in Medicaid to access birth control.
As of Tuesday, Oregonians enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid program, can now walk into a pharmacy and get over-the-counter birth control pills and emergency contraception without a prescription and without paying out of pocket.
The change comes through a standing order approved by the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy, which lets pharmacists provide the medications to Oregon Health Plan members and bill Medicaid directly — eliminating the need for a prescription to get the contraceptives at no cost.
Emergency contraception has been available over the counter for years, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023 approved the first oral contraceptive pill, Opill, to be sold without a prescription. While people with many private insurance plans could already get those medications covered without a doctor’s note, Oregon Health Plan members often could not.
That’s because federal Medicaid rules required a prescription for coverage, even for drugs sold over the counter. That meant many Oregon Health Plan members either had to pay themselves or make a doctor’s appointment just to get contraception covered.
State officials said the move removes a practical barrier to care and gives people more control over their reproductive health — without adding costs for Medicaid members.
“Access to reproductive health care should not depend on how much money you make or what kind of insurance you have,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement. She said the policy will help families get timely and affordable birth control.
Oregon law already requires many health plans to cover over-the-counter contraceptives at no cost, but that rule doesn’t apply to all private insurance, particularly some employer-sponsored or federally regulated plans.
For Oregon Health Plan members, access will depend on using an approved pharmacy. Most Medicaid enrollees receive benefits through a regional Coordinated Care Organization, which can direct members to participating pharmacies.
People enrolled in the state’s “open card” Medicaid program, or those unsure of their coverage, can contact Oregon Health Plan Client Services at 800-273-0557.
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