NWLC Applauds National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Provisions that Will Expand Contraceptive Access

(Washington, D.C) Late last night, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) advanced the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes two provisions that will help improve access to contraception for service members and their families. The HASC-passed NDAA:

  • Requires TRICARE—the program that provides health insurance for service members and their families—to cover birth control without copays for non-Active Duty Servicemembers and Dependents. This provision brings their coverage closer in line with active duty servicemembers, federal employees, and private insurance coverage; and
  • Ensures servicemembers’ access to emergency contraception (EC) by codifying existing Department of Defense regulations that health care providers at military treatment facilities provide survivors of sexual assault with information regarding EC and offer it upon a survivor’s request.

The following is a statement by Gretchen Borchelt, NWLC Vice President for Reproductive Rights and Health:
“The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has shown its commitment to ensuring that servicemembers and their families can access the birth control they need. But there is more to be done – we regularly hear from women on our CoverHer hotline who are on TRICARE and have challenges accessing birth control, and we know more steps are needed to ensure full access. We support the provisions voted out of Committee, and pledge to work with Representative Speier and other HASC Members to remove all of the barriers to birth control access faced by servicemembers and their families.

For immediate release: June 13, 2019
Contact: Inés Rénique ([email protected])