SB21-025 (Pettersen) Family Planning Service for Eligible Individuals

Position

The Colorado Children’s Campaign strongly supports this bill. Colorado has an opportunity to expand Medicaid coverage for family planning services at a minimal cost to the state—drawing down federal dollars to our state with a 90/10 match. The Colorado Health Institute estimated that the expansion of a comprehensive family planning benefit to this population through the Medicaid program would save the state more than $3 million dollars in health costs during the program’s first full year. In addition, this bill helps support the health and wellbeing of families and children by reducing unintended pregnancies, empowering people who can become pregnant to attain their education goals, helping create financially secure and strong families, and reducing the number of people who need to use Medicaid and CHP+ for pregnancy and postpartum coverage. The majority of states – not including Colorado – have taken up this state option to offer expanded family planning services through Medicaid. We believe it’s past time we join them.