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Committee approves amendment to SB 5‑89 to permit 12‑month contraceptive refills for privately insured patients
Summary
The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee approved an amendment to SB 5‑89 allowing privately insured women to obtain a 12‑month refill of birth control (a benefit already available to TennCare beneficiaries); sponsor said the change is a refill policy and does not mandate new coverage.
Leader Actberry sponsored an amendment to SB 5‑89 to extend an existing TennCare benefit — the ability to pick up a 12‑month supply of contraceptives — to women with private insurance.
"This bill, just to be clear, does not mandate additional birth control coverage," Leader Actberry said. "If your insurance company already provides coverage for birth control, this simply will allow you to pick up a 12 month supply."
Actberry framed the change as a refill policy (not an initial prescription); committee members asked clarifying questions about how the refill interacts with dosage adjustments early in therapy. The sponsor explained that the amendment applies to refills after an initial prescription has been established and that typical birth‑control prescriptions are written for 12 months.
Actberry also cited access concerns: he said more than 400,000 women in the state live in "contraceptive care deserts," and argued that a 12‑month supply reduces missed doses. The committee voted to adopt the timely‑filed amendment; the chair announced the amendment passed by voice/roll call with seven ayes and sent SB 5‑89 to the committee on calendar.
