Senators Cappelletti, Collett, Schwank, Fight to Protect Pennsylvanians’ Access to Contraceptives

Harrisburg, PA − December 10, 2025 - To further reinforce every Pennsylvanian's right to healthcare, Senator Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-17, Montgomery/Delaware), Senator Maria Collett (D-12, Montgomery), and Senator Judy Schwank (D-11, Berks), introduced Senate Bill 1112 to protect access to contraceptives.

The bill would require all insurers to provide coverage for contraceptives, eliminate most co-payments for related coverage, remove pre-authorization requirements for certain contraceptives, and authorize insurers to cover up to 12 months of birth control at one time.

"Safe, accessible contraceptives are a foundational pillar of reproductive healthcare. Nobody should have to cut through convoluted red tape or bear the brunt of financial hardship simply to access a trusted medication or device that keeps them safe and healthy," Senator Cappelletti said. "While the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare withstands constant threats from Republican leadership-at all levels of government-this bill would provide another necessary safeguard in Pennsylvania for anyone seeking reproductive care."

Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court ruling, nationwide threats to family planning clinics have increased. Prior to Dobbs, publicly funded family planning clinics provided contraceptive care to one quarter of all U.S. women receiving such care. Many of these clinics have been forced to close their doors, or struggle to operate as the Trump administration withholds Title X and Medicaid funding.

Dobbs also enabled the continuation of the inaccurate conflation of abortion and contraception among conservative policymakers who have sought to dismantle the reproductive healthcare system.

Contraceptives are commonly used to prevent unintended pregnancies. But, forms of contraceptives serve a number of medical purposes, often including hormone regulation, family planning, and treatment for severe conditions like endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

"If we want to build a safer, healthier Pennsylvania, we need access to affordable healthcare for everyone-including reproductive care," Senator Collett said. "This legislation is about protecting patients' right to make their own healthcare decisions by removing unnecessary financial and administrative barriers. As a registered nurse, I am proud to join Senators Cappelletti and Schwank to send a clear message to Pennsylvanians: we will not back down in defending your essential health freedoms."

Between 2022-2023, 54.3% of females ages 15-49 in the U.S. utilized contraception, and 6.8% of men ages 18-49 in the U.S. ever had a vasectomy-the only form of permanent contraceptive available to men.

As of September 2025, at least 31 other states including the District of Columbia require insurers to cover FDA-approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. When access to contraceptives is upheld, the Institute for Women's Policy Research found an extensive range of benefits, including but not limited to overall economic growth, significantly fewer unintended pregnancies, and higher labor force participation among women.

"This legislation reinforces that reproductive health care is essential," Senator Schwank said. "We cannot allow unnecessary barriers to prevent women from accessing the contraceptive care and treatment they need. When we make contraception easier to obtain, we empower women to make decisions that are right for themselves and their families."

Senate Bill 1112 was referred to the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on December 5, 2025. It is the companion legislation to Representative Leanne Krueger's (D-161, Delaware) House Bill 1140. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted 116-87 in support of the HB 1140, and it has been stalled in the Senate Banking and Insurance committee since June 3, 2025.

Supporters of this legislative initiative can reach out to their Pennsylvania State Senators to ask them to sign on in support of Senate Bill 1112. Find out who your state Senator is here.

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