The R Street Institute announced on Mar. 23 its support for House Bill 1138, the ‘Increasing Access to Contraceptives Act,’ during testimony before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Courtney Joslin, senior manager and resident fellow of the Healthy Families initiative at R Street Institute, presented the organization’s endorsement of the legislation.
Joslin said that improving access to contraceptives is linked with healthier pregnancy spacing, better outcomes for mothers and babies, and improved economic opportunities for families. The proposed bill aims to allow pharmacists in Georgia to provide contraceptive consultations directly to patients and enable patients to obtain a 12-month supply of their prescription at once.
“This is why we support HB 1138, which would improve Georgians’ ability to get their preferred contraceptive with fewer unnecessary barriers,” Joslin said in her testimony. She explained that pharmacist prescribing has already been adopted by thirty states because pharmacists are medication experts and regular short-acting forms of contraception are considered safe for most women. Joslin also pointed out that doctor appointments can be difficult to schedule in many areas.
Joslin cited data from Oregon showing that pharmacist-prescribed contraception reduced unintended pregnancies and saved Medicaid $1.6 million in two years. She emphasized that this practice is voluntary for pharmacists, who must undergo specific training first. The second part of HB 1138 would let patients pick up a year’s supply of birth control at once—a policy already implemented in several states including Tennessee—and research suggests it could lead to cost savings by reducing gaps in daily use.
“Combined, these reforms would meaningfully make it easier for Georgians’ to plan their families and their futures,” Joslin said. She urged passage of HB 1138 as a step toward reducing unintended pregnancies while saving health care costs.
