First OTC Birth Control Pill Set to Hit Shelves with $19.99/Month Suggested Price
- March 08, 2024
Perrigo Company plc announced March 4 that its Opill (norgestrel) tablet, the first daily oral contraceptive approved for use without a prescription, will be available at major retailers and pharmacies nationwide, as well as online, later this month.
Opill is now available for pre-order from select online retailers, the company said. The suggested manufacturer’s retail price is $19.99 for a one-month supply, and $49.99 for a three-month supply. The contraceptive also will be available through Opill.com at a price of $49.99 for a three-month supply and $89.99 for a six-month supply.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared Opill, a progestin-only daily oral contraceptive, for over-the-counter use in July 2023.
Following the FDA’s move, the administration sought public input on whether insurers should be required to cover without cost sharing certain OTC preventative services like contraceptives, tobacco smoking cessation products, and COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury issued a Request for Information (88 Fed. Reg. 68519) asking for comments on the potential challenges and benefits of requiring no-cost coverage for recommended OTC preventative products.
Under the Affordable Care Act, most plans and issuers must cover recommended preventative items and services without cost sharing. Some of those services may be available OTC but only must be covered if they are prescribed by a health care provider.
The agencies have not provided any updates on the status of the RFI since the comment period closed on December 4, 2023.
Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced legislation in October 2023 that would require insurers to fully cover any FDA-approved OTC birth control option without fees or out-of-pocket costs. The Affordability is Access Act also was introduced in the House by Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Ami Berra, M.D. (D-CA).
Murray spearheaded a letter, signed by 48 senators, urging the Biden administration to require federally and state-regulated health insurance plans to fully cover FDA-approved OTC birth control such as Opill with no out-of-pocket costs.
“This is a true milestone for birth control access across America, which is fundamental to women’s equality and women’s ability to plan their lives on their own terms,” Murray, Hirono, and Cortez Masto said in a joint statement.