Poll: Most Americans believe oral contraceptive costs should be covered by insurance

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Many American consumers are in favor of oral contraceptive coverage by both private and government-subsidized health insurance plans, according to a Thomson Reuters-National Press Radio Health Poll released Friday.

"Our survey findings provide a benchmark for public sentiment on issues that are continually dividing lawmakers, businesspeople and healthcare professionals," said Raymond Fabius, chief medical officer at the healthcare business of Thomson Reuters.

The poll, which addresses public attitudes toward birth control pills, was developed by Thomson Reuters and NPR as part of a new monthly series designed to gauge attitudes and opinions on a wide range of healthcare issues. Poll results are reported by NPR's Scott Hensley on the health blog Shots and on air.

The poll found that 77% of respondents believed private insurance should cover most or all cost of oral contraceptives, and 74% believed government-subsidized insurance plans should cover birth control pills.

Additionally, 78% favored federal government subsidies of birth control and other family planning services, excluding abortion, at government-funded clinics for low-income women.

Complete survey results are available here.

To date, Thomson Reuters and NPR have addressed a number of healthcare topics, gauging sentiment on generic drugs, vaccines, food safety and other issues. NPR's reports on past surveys are archived at Shots.

Thomson Reuters also offers a library of poll results here.