Association Between Oregon's 12-Month Contraceptive Supply Policy and Quantity of Contraceptives Dispensed

Eighteen states, including Oregon, have passed legislation requiring insurers to cover dispensation of a 12-month supply of short-acting, hormonal contraception.

To determine whether Oregon's 2016 12-month supply law was associated with an increase in contraceptive supply received.

This retrospective cohort study of hormonal contraceptive users using Oregon's All Payer All Claims database examined the quantity of contraceptive supply dispensed 3 years before and 3 years after the 2016 policy change. We also assessed changes among patients attributed to Title X clinics.

Legislation requiring insurers in Oregon to cover a 12-month supply of contraception to continuing users.

Receipt of a 12-month supply of hormonal contraception.

This cohort study of insured users (mean [SD] age, 27.4 [2.1] years) of short-acting hormonal contraception included 639 053 contraceptive prescriptions. Results indicated that more than 80% of prescriptions for contraceptives cover 3 months or fewer. Most women in the study population used the oral contraceptive pill, lived in a metropolitan area, and were privately insured. We did not observe a significant association between the passage of the 12-month supply policy and receipt of a 12-month supply (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.74-1.38). Receipt of a 12-month supply was more common for Medicaid recipients than the privately insured (aOR, 9.40; 95% CI, 6.62-13.34). We did find a shift from 1 month to 2 to 3 months supply being dispensed. The policy change was associated with a small, overall increase in quantity dispensed (0.27 months supply; 95% CI, 0.15 to -0.38). Title X clinics prescribed 3 months more of contraceptive supply than non-Title X clinics (3.03 months supply; 95% CI, 2.64-3.41). However, the policy change was not associated with increased contraceptive supply dispensed at Title X clinics.

In this cohort study of insured users of short-acting hormonal contraception, the passage of a 12-month contraceptive supply policy was not associated with an increase in contraceptive supply dispensed.