The National Women’s Law Center fights for gender justice—in the courts, in public policy, and in our society.
New Data Estimates 62.1 Million Women Have Coverage of Birth Control and Other Preventive Services Without Out-of-Pocket Costs
New 2021 estimates indicate that 62.1 million women ages 18-64 have insurance coverage of preventive services, including birth control, without out-of-pocket costs as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA requires most health plans to cover a set of preventive services without out-of-pocket costs, including a specific group of preventive services for women, like birth control, well-woman visits, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and comprehensive lactation support and supplies. The new data mark a 3.4% decrease in the number of women covered by private health insurance since 2020, meaning nearly 2.2 million fewer women have private coverage this year. This factsheet includes state-by-state estimates as well as national estimates.


