Women's Health Policy

ABORTION IN THE U.S.

CONTRACEPTIve care IN THE U.S.

New and noteworthy

Over-the-Counter Oral Contraceptive Pills

In July 2023, the FDA approved Opill, the first daily oral contraceptive pill to become available over the counter (OTC) without a doctor’s prescription. This issue brief provides an overview of OTC oral contraceptives and laws and policies related to insurance coverage.

featured

A promotional image for the the KFF Health Policy 101 Issues in Women’s Health chapter

Health Policy Issues in Women’s Health

Examine the core health coverage and access issues —shaped by federal and state policies—that affect women’s health today, including health coverage and costs, reproductive health services, maternal health, mental health, and intimate partner violence.

State Profiles for Women’s Health

Explore the latest national and state-specific data and policies on women’s health. Topics include health status, insurance and Medicaid coverage, use of preventive services, sexual health, maternal and infant health, and abortion policies. Many indicators provide state-level information for women of different racial and ethnic groups.

The essentials
  • Women’s Health Insurance Coverage

    This factsheet reviews major sources of coverage for women residing in the U.S., discusses the ACA's impact on coverage, and the coverage challenges that many women continue to face.
  • Medicaid Coverage for Women

    This data note presents key data points describing the current state of the Medicaid program as it affects women, including eligibility, reproductive health, chronic conditions, and more.
  • Dobbs: What are the Implications for Racial Disparities?

    This analysis examines the implications of the Dobbs decision and state restrictions on abortion coverage for racial disparities in access to care and health outcomes.
  • State Health Facts: Women's Health Indicators

    Information on women’s health status, utilization of services, health insurance coverage, family planning and childbirth, and abortion statistics and policies.
  • Key Facts on Abortion in the United States

    This report answers some key questions about abortion in the United States and presents data collected before the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

Subscribe to KFF Emails

Choose which emails are best for you.
Sign up here

Filter

171 - 180 of 869 Results

  • KFF Examines Implications of Dobbs-era Abortion Bans and Restrictions for Miscarriage or Stillbirth

    News Release

    In a new brief, KFF explores how abortion bans and restrictions in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision can further complicate pregnancy loss.  Pregnancy loss, which includes miscarriage and stillbirth, is common, and for many people, it is a physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing experience. The medical interventions used to manage miscarriages and stillbirths are often the same medicines and procedures used in abortions, which means abortion bans and restrictions can end…

  • Coverage of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Medicare

    Issue Brief

    This brief describes Medicare coverage of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, and compares that coverage with private insurance plans and Medicaid. These benefits are particularly relevant to nearly 1 million women of reproductive age (20-49) who are eligible for Medicare due to having a long-term disability.

  • 10 Key Facts About Women with Medicare

    Issue Brief

    This brief examines 10 key facts about women with Medicare and presents new statistics on the health, economic and functional status of women with Medicare.

  • At the Supreme Court: What’s at Stake for Emergency Abortion Care?

    News Release

    On April 24, the Supreme Court will hear Idaho v. United States—the second case this term involving access to abortion. In a new brief, KFF examines what’s at stake, focusing on whether the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)—a federal law requiring nearly all hospitals to ensure emergency room patients are stable before they are discharged from hospital care—preempts state abortion laws.  The new brief reviews the background on the case and EMTALA,…

  • Abortion Back at SCOTUS: Can States Ban Emergency Abortion Care for Pregnant Patients?

    Issue Brief

    On April 24, 2024, the Supreme Court will hear the second case this term involving access to abortion: Idaho v. United States. At stake in this case is whether the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, a federal law requiring hospitals to provide stabilizing treatment to patients who present to their emergency rooms, preempts state abortion laws and requires hospitals that accept Medicare to provide abortion care when it is necessary to stabilize a…

  • Could the Comstock Act Be Used to Limit Abortion Access Nationwide?

    News Release

    In a new brief, KFF examines how the Comstock Act, an 1873 anti-vice law banning the mailing of obscene matter and articles, could be used by an anti-abortion presidential administration to sharply restrict the availability of abortion nationwide.  The Biden Administration’s Department of Justice has said the Comstock Act should not be interpreted literally with respect to abortion and has not enforced it. However, a future administration opposed to abortion rights could interpret the law…

  • The Comstock Act: Implications for Abortion Care Nationwide 

    Issue Brief

    This brief provides background on the Comstock Act, reviews how it has been interpreted by the Biden Administration’s DOJ, and considers how it could be enforced by an administration that is hostile toward abortion to severely restrict the distribution of drugs and supplies used for abortion, with implications for abortion access in all states across the country.

  • One in Five Women of Reproductive Age in States with Abortion Bans Say They or Someone They Know Has Had Difficulty Accessing an Abortion Since Dobbs

    News Release

    According to new KFF polling, in states with abortion bans, one in five (21%) women of reproductive age (18 to 49) and one in seven (14%) of all women say either they or someone they know has had difficulty accessing an abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The survey finds that among all women, including in states where abortion remains broadly legal or limited by gestational period, 8% say they or someone…