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The Affordable Care Act requires all private health insurance to fully cover birth control. According to new research published in the April 2021 edition of Health Affairs, this contraception mandate led to increased use of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) among women enrolled in high-deductible health plans. LARCs, such as IUDs, previously had high one-time, out-of-pocket expenses.

This is a positive development for women, according to Dr. Nora Becker, the lead researcher and an assistant professor at the University of Michigan. "LARCs are the best contraceptive methods available so having access to LARCs is really important for patients," she says on today's episode of A Health Podyssey. 

Becker argues that the benefits of contraception go beyond health: Women with access to contraception earn more money and have better professional outcomes. 

Listen to Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interview Becker about her research on how the Affordable Care Act impacted the cost of long-acting reversible contraceptives, the role that behavioral economics plays when people choose a health plan, and what it all means for society.

 
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