The first over the counter (“OTC”) birth control pill, Opill, will be available on shelves without a prescription this month. Opill will be available for $19.99 per month, increasing access to contraception for millions of people.
Federal law requires health plans to cover OTC birth control when prescribed and encourages health plans to cover OTC birth control when purchased without a prescription. In a June 2023 executive order, the Biden administration directed federal agencies to improve access to affordable OTC birth control, including by “identifying promising practices regarding” no-cost coverage of OTC birth control. Some states require state-regulated health plans to cover some methods of OTC birth control without a prescription at no cost.