Indiana bill to expand women's access to birth control awaits governor's signature

WEST LAFAYTTE, Ind. — The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill last week that expands women’s access to birth control in the state, all it is waiting for now is a signature from the state’s governor.

The Indiana House of Representatives passed House Bill 1426, which authored by Rep. Rita Fleming (D-Jeffersonville), will increase the availability of long-acting reversible contraceptives for postpartum Medicaid patients.

Prior to the bill’s passage, doctors were required to wait until a patient’s six-week check-up before being allowed to discuss the idea of subdermal implant contraceptives with their patients.

Doctors now are able to have those conversations with their patients prior to a patient being discharged from the hospital, if the bill becomes law.

The bill expands these services to Medicaid recipients or individuals eligible for Medicaid, by requiring the state to reimburse hospitals for the cost of these services.

West Lafayette’s state Rep. Chris Campbell, a Democrat, applauded the “positive step forward” for Hoosier mothers.

“This bill is about being proactive and improving our maternal health outcomes," Campbell said. "Indiana is the third highest in the nation for maternal mortality. We have a lack of access to obstetric care, and our state has enacted an abortion ban.

“Expanding access to long-acting reversible contraceptives, specifically the implant, is a way we can provide our Hoosier women with more options. It's a small way for Hoosier women to have better control over their bodies and family planning.”

And although Campbell viewed this bill positively, she still noted that there’s more work to be done in Indiana to ensure that women receive the postpartum care that they may need.

“This bill was specifically designed to help our mothers who are facing difficult circumstances. Sometimes when you’re in crisis — whether it's substance-use disorder, homelessness or any other personal hardship — it can be difficult to focus on your health,” Campbell said.

“We want women to return for postpartum care, but the reality is that a significant amount of Hoosier women don’t return. This bill ensures that birth control is discussed after labor before hospital discharge.

“The discussion isn’t limited solely to the subdermal implant. It’s a way for doctors to get their foot in the door and provide women with more information. Progress is made inch by inch, and I think this bill is the start of a vital discussion surrounding birth control access.”

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Indiana passes HB 1426, which expands women's access to birth control