Women's Health Policy

ABORTION IN THE U.S.

KFF infographic explaining who regulates mifepristone, showing four entities and their roles: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves and regulates medications for safety and effectiveness; state legislatures pass laws that can restrict or protect access; courts rule on legal cases affecting regulation; and Congress can pass federal legislation influencing regulation.

Louisiana v. FDA: Access to Mifepristone Back at the Supreme Court

Louisiana sued the FDA in October 2025, claiming the FDA’s 2023 regulatory change eliminating the requirement that mifepristone be dispensed in-person—allowing it to be mailed or dispensed at retail pharmacies—harm the state's ability to enforce its abortion ban. This brief reviews the Louisiana v. FDA case now before the Supreme Court, and provides an overview of the other pending litigation involving mifepristone, as well as the mounting tension between states seeking to protect abortion and those banning the provision of abortion.

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.

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  • Assessing the Presidential Candidates’ Positions on Women’s Health Coverage and Reproductive Health Care

    Issue Brief

    Women's health has been a key issue in the 2012 election with the candidates, President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, having different views on women's health care. This brief discusses two major health care issues that are important to women – health coverage and reproductive health care – and summarizes the presidential candidates' stated positions on these topics.

  • Speaker Biographies

    Other Post

    Sandra P SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES SANDRA P. ARNOLD Sandra P. Arnold is Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and Acting Secretary of the Population Council. Her responsibilities encompass information systems, finance and accounting, human resources, publications and public information, contract administration, product licensing, legal affairs, and industry relationships. As manager of the business aspects of the Council's operations, Ms. Arnold is liaison with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the approval of mifepristone. The Council holds the…

  • Health Insurance Coverage Of Low-Income Women

    Fact Sheet

    Low-income women's high rate of health problems and limited economic resources make access to health care and adequate health insurance coverage particularly important. Health coverage, whether through the private sector or publicly through Medicaid, has been demonstrated to improve access to care for low-income women. However, obtaining coverage is not easy or even possible for many women. Job-based insurance is not always an option for low-income women, despite their high workforce participation. Assistance is available…

  • Roe v. Wade 30 Years Later

    Other Post

    How Have Abortion Practice, Policy, Politics, and Public Opinion Changed? We are fast approaching the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. In January 2003, a generation will have grown up knowing abortion as a legal right for American women. Yet, abortion remains a hotly debated issue in this country. So, 30 years later, where are we? On October 8, at the most recent…

  • Sex Education in the U.S.: Policy and Politics

    Other Post

    This issue brief examines the federal, state and local policies that guide approaches to sex education today. It also examines recent research into community-level experiences and practices, as well as emerging evidence about the effectiveness of different types of sex education curricula. Issue Update:

  • Regulating the Quality of Abortion Services: Politics or Good Medicine?

    Report

    A growing trend by state legislatures to pass tough regulations on abortion services begs the questions: Do these rules help to ensure the health and safety of abortion patients and the quality of abortion services? Or, as some abortion rights groups have suggested, are they designed to put abortion providers out of business? National Committee for Quality Assurance Chief Executive Officer, Margaret O'Kane, National Abortion Federation Committee on Quality Improvement Chair, Dr. Bernard Smith, and…

  • Hearing Their Voices: Lessons from the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act (BCCPTA)

    Report

        In 2000, Congress passed a landmark law that gave states the option of extending Medicaid coverage to certain low-income women with breast or cervical cancer. In California, approximately 10,000 women have been assisted by this program. This policy brief, "Hearing Their Voices: Lessons from the Breast and Cervical Caner Prevention and Treatment Act (BCCPTA)," reports on the impact of this program on low-income women in California, using focus group analysis. The report was…

  • Role of Health Insurance Coverage in Women’s Access to Prescription Medicines

    Report

    This article presents findings from the 2004 Kaiser Women's Health Survey examining how health insurance coverage affects access to prescription medicines for non-elderly women. Results from the nationally representative telephone survey indicate that a lack of health insurance coverage is significantly associated with experiencing cost barriers to prescription medications, regardless of income level. These findings underscore the important role that insurance coverage plays in protecting women from out-of-pocket costs and for accessing prescription medicines. The…

  • Abortion Coverage Limitations in Medicaid and Private Insurance Plans

    Issue Brief

    This brief reviews current federal and state policies on Medicaid and insurance coverage of abortion services in the U.S. and presents national and state estimates on the availability of abortion coverage for people enrolled in private plans, Marketplace plans, and Medicaid.