Birth Control and Health Insurance Coverage

Women with health insurance are much more likely to use birth control consistently than those without health insurance, according to an Urban Institute study. Among women aged 18 to 44 at risk of an unplanned pregnancy, 73 percent of those with health insurance coverage say they always use birth control. Among their counterparts without health insurance, a much smaller 42 percent always use it.

There are differences in consistent birth control use by income as well. Among women with family incomes at or above 400 percent of poverty level, 82 percent always use birth control versus just 53 percent of women with family incomes below 138 percent of poverty level.

These findings raise concerns about the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, says the Urban Institute: "Repealing the ACA could increase financial barriers to contraception by increasing the number of uninsured women—particularly low-income women."

Source: Urban Institute, Access to Contraception in 2016 and What It Means to Women