Texas is one of most restrictive states for birth control access
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Texas is among states with the most restrictive access to contraception, a new scorecard from the Population Reference Bureau shows.
Why it matters: Contraception access has become a political flashpoint since the U.S. Supreme Court ended Roe v. Wade, with Democrats unsuccessfully pressing to codify contraceptive access nationwide and some patients concerned that conservative state legislatures could enact new curbs.
Zoom in: While Texas expanded Medicaid coverage for family-planning services through the Healthy Texas Women waiver, it hasn't adopted a broader expansion of the health insurance program for low-income residents. That has left gaps in coverage for men and people under 18, per the scorecard.
- The state requires insurers to cover prescription birth control if they cover other prescription drugs but doesn't mandate coverage of over-the-counter methods.
- Texas allows minors to consent to contraceptive services only if they're married or meet narrow exceptions.
- Texas also doesn't require sex education in schools, per the report.
The big picture: Nearly 35% of Americans, or 121 million people, live in a state that actively restricts access.
- The most protective states included California, Washington, Connecticut, New York, New Mexico, Maryland and Oregon.
What they're saying: "Reproductive health care access depends on where you live," said Cathryn Streifel, senior program director at PRB and co-author of the scorecard.
The bottom line: As federal safeguards have weakened, state laws have become the front line in determining whether people can access contraceptives.