On March 1, 2005, Senator Connie Williams (D-17) reintroduced the Prescription Contraception Equity Act (SB 474) in the PA Senate. The bill was referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance on March 28, 2005.
Representative Daylin Leach (D-149) has reintroduced similar legislation in the PA House (HB 1228). The bill was referred to the Insurance Committee on March 30, 2005.
This legislation would prevent any health insurance policy from excluding coverage for contraception if it offers prescription coverage.
Women of reproductive age spend 68% more than men on out-of-pocket health care costs. The cost of adding insurance coverage for contraception has been estimated at less than $2 per employee per month.
The cost of maternal and newborn care can range from $8,600– $10,000 per birth while an entire year of birth control pills costs between $350- $422.
In 2004, 21 states had passed laws mandating health insurance plans to cover prescription contraceptives.
Last year three similar bills were introduced in Pennsylvania, none of which were brought up in committee for a vote.
Representative Daylin Leach (D-149) reintroduced similar legislation in the PA House.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Contact your State Senator and State Representative and tell him/her that women in Pennsylvania deserve better!
Tell your State Senator and Representative to contact Senator Gibson Armstrong (R-13), Chair of the Banking and Insurance Committee and Representative Nicholas Micozzie (R-163), Chair of Insurance Committee.
ONLY COMMITTEE CHAIRS HAVE THE POWER TO BRING UP THESE BILLS FOR A VOTE
Without committee support these bills will never make it to the House and Senate Floors.
Click here http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm to find your State Senator and State Representative
Senate Banking and Insurance Committee
Majority
Armstrong, Gibson (R-13) Chair
Conti, Joe (R-10) Vice Chair
Corman, Jake (R-34)
Greenleaf, Stewart (R-12)
Robbins, Robert (R-50)
Scarnati, Joseph (R-25)
Wenger, Noah (R-36)
White, Donald (R-41)
Minority
Stack, Michael (D-5) Minority Chair
Boscola, Lisa (D-18)
Mellow, Robert(D-22)
Tartaglione, Christine (D-2)
Williams, Anthony (D-8)
House Insurance Committee
Majority
Micozzie, Nicholas, Chair
Wright, Matthew, Vice Chair
Killion, Tom, Secretary
Baldwin, Roy
Evans, John
Fichter, John
Fleagle, Patrick Elvin
Gannon, Thomas
Godshall, Robert
Hennessey, Tim
McGill, Eugene
Nickol, Steven
Pickett, Tina
Sather, Larry
Schroder, Curt
Zug, Peter
Minority
DeLuca, Anthony, Chair
Frankel, Dan, Vice Chair
Goodman, Neal, Secretary
Bebko-Jones, Linda
Buxton, Ronald
Eachus, Todd
Manderino, Kathy
Melio, Anthony
Mundy, Phyllis
Tangretti, Thomas
Walko, Don
Wojnaroski, Edward
