I bought emergency contraception over-the-counter (OTC) at my pharmacy and thought it would be covered by my insurance, but I ended up having to pay the full cost out-of-pocket. Why wasn’t it covered by my insurance?

Emergency contraception is one of the FDA-approved methods for women that must be covered by most health plans, including those sold on the Marketplace, but it has to be prescribed by a health care provider in order for most insurance plans to cover it. If you don’t have a prescription, you will likely have to pay the full cost out-of-pocket. However, you can ask your provider (or pharmacist if your state allows it) for a prescription for OTC emergency contraception, bring it to the pharmacy counter, and ask them to bill your insurance; your insurance should cover it without cost sharing.

Some health plans are not required to cover contraception. Click here for more information.