Birth control access: Scorecard evaluates family planning policies across the U.S.

There are “two different Americas” when it comes to birth control, family planning experts say.

There are “two different Americas” when it comes to birth control, family planning experts say.

A new report finds that only a third of states protect access to affordable contraception through their policies, such as Medicaid expansion or requiring health insurers to pay for prescriptions for months at a time.

The report, released Wednesday, analyzed current birth control policies across the 50 states and Washington, D.C. It comes as finding affordable birth control becomes more difficult for many women across the country and as conservative state and federal lawmakers look to limit access to some forms of contraception.

The report — a state-by-state contraceptive policy scorecard — shows how important local legislation is to family planning and health care.

“Seeing the full picture across all 50 states and D.C. really solidified how uneven access is,” said Christine Power, a senior policy adviser for the Population Reference Bureau, a nonprofit that analyzes population data from around the world and published the report.