WASHINGTON (PRWEB)
March 23, 2021

According to data released by Power to Decide, an estimated 179,940 women living at or below 250% of the poverty level in Nevada live in contraceptive deserts, counties in which there is not reasonable access to a health center offering the full range of contraceptive methods. Nationally, more than 19 million U.S. women in need live in contraceptive deserts.

“In Nevada, almost 180,000 women with low incomes face barriers to accessing the contraception they need in order to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child,” said Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, CEO, Power to Decide. “Women in these deserts struggle with transportation and child care costs and taking unpaid time off from work just to access basic health care.”

In this challenging landscape, states like Nevada have taken proactive steps to expand access to contraception in various ways. Nevada has already expanded Medicaid to low-income adults, which helps decrease the percentage of uninsured women, and by extension, gives them the contraceptive coverage they need to live healthy lives. In addition, Nevada law requires insurance to cover an extended supply of prescription contraceptives and protects insurance coverage of contraceptive methods. Other policies that would help include enacting a state policy that allows pharmacists to prescribe contraception.

More information about these policies can be found here. In addition, information about Nevada’s telehealth policies relevant to contraceptive access can be found here.

Power to Decide is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to ensure all people—no matter who they are, where they live or what their economic status might be—have the power to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child. Please visit us at http://www.PowerToDecide.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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