2005-2006 Regular Session 1st House HR 1709 & Senate S 20
Summary: The bill includes provisions to:
- Increase access to family planning services through the national family planning program (Title X) and allow states to expand Medicaid family planning services to women with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
- Ensure that private health plans offer the same level of coverage for contraception as they do for other prescription drugs and services.
- Ensure that women who survive sexual assault receive factually accurate information about emergency contraception (EC) and access to EC upon request.
- Authorize $10 million to implement important public education initiatives about EC and its benefits and uses to women and medical providers.
- Provide $20 million in annual funding for competitive grants to public and private entities working to establish or expand teen pregnancy prevention programs.
- Require that all information provided about the use of contraception as part of any federally funded program is medically accurate and includes accurate information about the health benefits and failure rates of contraception
What You Should Know: The Prevention First Act is intended to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in the United States by increasing access to information and services to make this goal a reality.
Primary Sponsor(s): Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY) & Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
Introduction Date: 4/19/2005 (House) & 1/24/2005 (Senate)
Last Major Action:
House: 5/13/2005. Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Senate: 1/24/2005. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S210-214)
