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NEWS FROM POWER TO DECIDE

Abortion is Still Legal

While abortion is still legal in America, countless people face insurmountable barriers to access care. Visit AbortionFinder.org ([link removed]) for clear, up-to-date information on abortion providers near you. With more than 750 health centers, Abortion Finder features the most comprehensive directory of trusted, verified abortion service providers in the United States.

The leaked US Supreme Court draft opinion is NOT final. No matter what the Supreme Court ultimately decides, abortion will still be legally protected in some states. Abortion Finder is tracking the situation closely so that the site always shows the most recent information. Find out more about state laws ([link removed]) .

Closing #TalkingIsPower Month 2022

Thank you to everyone who recognized Talking is Power Month by participating in our recent Twitter Storm, sharing our blogs and conversation prompts, or talking to a young person in your life about sex, love, and relationships. You helped us make #TalkingIsPower ([link removed]) 2022 a success.

Just because May and #TalkingIsPower have ended doesn’t mean you should stop talking. Check out all of the amazing resources ([link removed]) we posted over the last month to start an inclusive conversation today! Remember, champions, you’re more powerful than you think.

Ask Dr. Raegan

Now more than ever, we need access to high-quality, evidence-based info about sexual health, birth control, and more. That’s why our CEO, Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley has launched regular office hours on Twitter to answer people’s questions. Follow Power to Decide on Twitter ([link removed]) so you don’t miss a thing.

You can find all things #AskDrRaegan on our new landing page ([link removed]) .

People's Choice Winner

We are so proud to announce that our #ThxBirthControl campaign ([link removed]) was a People’s Choice winner ([link removed]) at The 26th Annual Webby Awards!

Help us continue to show the world why birth control access is so important, how birth control helps people achieve their goals, and why you love your method by continuing to share ([link removed]) why we all say, “Thanks, birth control!”

Our Newest Power Player

We’re committed to uplifting the many individuals championing the effort to support young people’s reproductive well-being. This month’s Power Player is sex educator Melissa Pintor Carnagey. Read her story ([link removed]) .

Continuing to Advocate for Sex Ed For All

Sex education gives young people age-appropriate, medically accurate information and answers to their questions about sex and relationships, without shame or judgment. It has been proven to positively impact young people’s lives. But too many young people don’t have access to sex education, or the programs in their school are shaming or inaccurate.

Though Sex Ed For All Month ([link removed]) has ended we will continue to work toward a world where all young people—no matter where they live or how they identify—get equitable access to the sex education they deserve. We invite you to do the same by committing to work towards sex ed for all, engaging your community, educating and advocating for sex ed, and raising awareness by spreading the word.

Learn more about the Sex Ed for All movement on the Sex Education Collaborative’s website ([link removed]) .
POLICY UPDATES

In May, Power to Decide released a new report ([link removed]) revealing troubling new evidence of health insurance companies failing to provide coverage of contraception with no out-of-pocket expense, as required under law. When Your Birth Control Isn’t Covered: Health Plan Non-Compliance with the Federal Contraceptive Coverage Requirement ([link removed]) details non-compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s contraceptive coverage requirement and urges further guidance and enforcement by the federal government. This report relies on three major sources of information: a review of publicly available documents from health plans and pharmacy benefit managers about their policies; a review of denial letters issued to patients seeking coverage for several contraceptive products; and a series of
“secret shopper”-style phone calls to health plans seeking information from customer service agents and pharmacy service representatives. The findings echo and expand on those from the National Women’s Law Center, Congressional letters and inquiries on behalf of constituents, and January 10 guidance from the Biden-Harris administration—and uncovered potential violations of aspects of the ACA’s contraceptive coverage requirement by numerous large private health plans. The report was covered on the front page of the Washington Post ([link removed]) on May 3.

Senate Votes on the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022

On May 11, the Senate voted on S. 4132 ([link removed]) , a modified version of the Women’s Health Protection Act ([link removed]) (WHPA). It was the second vote the Senate took this year to codify into federal law the rights of people to receive abortion care without medically unnecessary restrictions—and was in response to the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ([link removed]) . While the vote failed 49-51, Power to Decide will continue to advocate for this legislation alongside our coalition partners. We encourage you to thank your Senators who voted for ([link removed]) this important legislation.

New and Updated State Policy Resources

We recently released contraceptive landscape fact sheets for Arkansas ([link removed]) and Mississippi ([link removed]) . You can find all of our state contraceptive landscape fact sheets on our website ([link removed]) . We also updated our interactive telehealth maps and tables ([link removed]) to include a Post COVID Public Health Emergency column, which captures policies in states that have ended their state emergency orders. Check out our FAQs and Key Terms ([link removed]) to learn more about the updates.
POWER UPDATES

Click here ([link removed]) to see the top publications and articles on sexual health published in the last month, including a new Brookings Institution report on the urgent need for expanding access to contraception.
GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM OUR SPONSORS

Since launching our Contraceptive Access Fund ([link removed]) in 2019, we have helped more than 5,600 people to access free birth control. But as attacks on reproductive freedom rise, requests have nearly tripped over the last six months. Our Fund is running low, and we may not be able to continue to provide those most in need with the crucial support they require.

Please consider donating to our Fund right now. Just $5 a month can provide someone with birth control for a full year. Support access to birth control ([link removed]) .

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Copyright © 2022, Power to Decide, the campaign to prevent unplanned pregnancy
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