Health plans must cover over-the-counter contraceptives at no cost
S. 5539 — A bill to require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives. · Filed by Patty Murray (D-WA) · 31 cosponsors · Introduced Sep 24, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill would require health insurance plans—both group plans offered by employers and individual policies—to cover over-the-counter contraceptives (like condoms, birth control pills available without prescription, and similar products) at no cost to the patient. The beneficiaries are people with health insurance who use OTC contraceptives; the mechanism is a coverage mandate on insurers.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is a straightforward insurance coverage requirement—a mandate that health plans include OTC contraceptives in their benefit packages at no cost-sharing.
What the text implies
- May increase insurance premiums modestly as insurers absorb the cost of OTC contraceptive coverage, though the magnitude depends on utilization rates and negotiated prices.
- Could reduce out-of-pocket spending on contraceptives, potentially increasing contraceptive use and affecting birth rates, though this is a public-health goal rather than a hidden consequence.
- Applies only to people with health insurance; uninsured individuals and those on plans exempt from ACA requirements (e.g., some religious employers) would not benefit.
Who it affects
Ordinary people with health insurance gain access to contraceptives at no out-of-pocket cost, reducing a direct healthcare expense. The mandate shifts cost from individuals to insurers, improving affordability and access to family planning.
Who stands to gain
- contraceptive manufacturers and distributors
- pharmacy benefit managers (if they negotiate pricing)
Named in the bill
group health plans, group health insurance, individual health insurance, over-the-counter contraceptives, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Where it stands
31 cosponsors: 30 Democrats, 1 Independents.
- Sep 24, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
- Sep 24, 2026 — Referred to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Sep 26, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 15,166 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-09-26.
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