Over-the-counter oral birth control covered by New Mexico Medicaid

Over-the-counter oral contraceptive is now covered by Medicaid in NM
Those who have Medicaid can get other contraception, pregnancy tests too
Medicaid official says program wants to expand reproductive access

Updated: Mar 28, 2024 / 04:43 PM CDT

This image provided by Perrigo Company shows boxes of Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill available later this month in the United States. (Perrigo Company via AP)

(NewsNation) — Opill, the first daily oral birth control pill made available over the counter, is now covered by Medicaid in New Mexico, the state’s Human Services Department announced Wednesday.

“We are dedicated to ensuring access to health care for all Medicaid customers,” Alanna Dancis, Chief Medical Officer for the New Mexico Medicaid program, said in a statement. “The coverage of Opill is a step forward in empowering people with more choices in their reproductive health care — we encourage our customers and pharmacists to familiarize themselves with this new coverage option.”

Other emergency contraception and pregnancy tests are covered by the program as well.

Dancis said customers with Medicaid can present the items at the pharmacy counter, and they will not be charged.

“The direction has certainly been for us to be trying to expand reproductive access as much as possible, including better access to contraception,” she said to KUNM.

New Mexico’s Human Services Department noted that the state has supported and expanded access to reproductive health care, even after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Without constitutional protections for the procedure, other states, however, have been putting restrictions on abortion, leading to “intense demand” from patients outside of New Mexico, according to KUNM.

Because of this, abortions in New Mexico have more than tripled, KUNM reports.