Three Ways the Biden Administration Just Advanced Family Planning Access

Key agencies within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) took significant strides this summer to improve family planning services, remove unnecessary barriers to care, and offer more accessible forms of birth control.

Here are three recent moves by HHS agencies:

1. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approves First Dissolvable Birth Control Pill

On July 22, 2024, the FDA approved Femlyv, a new type of birth control. Combining two active ingredients that have been used in oral birth control pills since the 1960s, Femlyv is unique because of its delivery mechanism: it is the first orally disintegrating contraceptive.

This new treatment option will help make the birth control pill more accessible, especially for individuals who have trouble swallowing pills.

2. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Releases Guidance on Medicaid Family Planning Requirements and Best Practices  

On August 8, 2024, CMS released new guidance on family planning services. The guidance:

• Reiterates the standards that state Medicaid agencies must adhere to, including ensuring enrollees have access to free, comprehensive family planning services from their choice of providers.
• Highlights strategies to enhance access, such as an extended supply of contraceptives given at one time, access to over the counter (OTC) contraceptives like Opill, and payment reforms that improve intrauterine device (IUD) access immediately postpartum.
• Clarifies confidentiality requirements, both specific to Medicaid and generally under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and provides recommendations to integrate contraceptive quality measures. 

3. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates Practice Recommendations for Contraception  

On August 8, 2024, the CDC released new contraception recommendations for providers designed to “remove unnecessary medical barriers to accessing and using contraception and to support the provision of person-centered contraceptive counseling and services in a noncoercive manner.”

Notably, the recommendations include new guidance on person-centered pain management for IUD insertion. The guidance:

• Expands pain management options for the first time since 2016, adding topical Lidocaine cream, spray, and gel to the list of recommended pain management options.
• Outlines the importance of personalized pain counseling and best practices for follow-up care.  

The Center for Reproductive Rights applauds the Administration’s efforts to expand access to a range of effective and affordable contraceptive options. The ability to decide when and how to start a family is crucial to each individual’s ability to control their life and future.