President Biden has issued an Executive Order aimed at strengthening access to affordable and high-quality contraception and family planning services. The order emphasizes the importance of ensuring women have access to the healthcare they need, including contraception, to exercise control over their own health, lives, and families.

The Executive Order acknowledges that access to high-quality contraception is essential for improving health outcomes, promoting economic stability, and enhancing women's overall well-being. It highlights the positive impact of contraception on maternal and child health, educational and professional opportunities, and lifetime earnings.

While the Affordable Care Act extended access to affordable contraception to millions of women, the order recognizes that barriers still exist based on income, location, health insurance coverage, and the availability of healthcare providers. It underscores the need to address these disparities, especially in light of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which has had significant implications for women's health.

In response to these challenges, President Biden's Administration has taken various steps to protect and strengthen access to contraception. These include issuing guidance to clarify contraception coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act, expanding contraceptive care services for military personnel, and improving access for certain dependents of veterans. Additional efforts have focused on supporting family planning providers, enhancing privacy protections, and ensuring healthcare providers do not deny contraception based on protected grounds.

The Executive Order directs the Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to consider issuing guidance to improve access to contraception under the Affordable Care Act, including coverage without out-of-pocket expenses. It also calls for increased access to affordable over-the-counter contraception, including emergency contraception.

Furthermore, the order highlights the importance of supporting access to family planning services and supplies through Medicaid and Medicare. It encourages the expansion of affordable family planning services across the Medicaid program and seeks to improve coverage and payment for contraceptives for Medicare beneficiaries.

To promote access to affordable, high-quality contraception, the order calls for additional actions from federal departments and agencies. These include robust coverage of contraception under federal programs, offering technical assistance, educating program participants and beneficiaries, and supporting research and data analysis.

The Executive Order underscores the commitment of President Biden's Administration to support access to reproductive healthcare services and protect reproductive rights. It acknowledges the ongoing efforts to safeguard Americans' fundamental freedoms and emphasizes the need to build on progress made thus far.

It is important to note that the implementation of President Biden's order will be consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.