U.S. Congress legislation · 119th Congress
SB5539: Affordability is Access Act of 2026
Status: In committee, September 24, 2026
A bill to require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives.
What the bill says
To require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives.
From the introduced text, September 24, 2026:
A BILL To require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives. SECTION 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Affordability is Access Act of 2026 . SECTION 2. Purpose The purpose of this Act is to ensure timely access to affordable birth control by requiring coverage without cost-sharing for contraceptives that are approved, granted, or cleared by, or otherwise legally marketed under regulation by, the Food and Drug Administration for use without a prescription. SECTION 3. Findings The Senate finds the following: (1) Birth control is critical health care that almost all women, as well as many trans men and nonbinary people, will use at some point in their lifetimes. (2) Access to the full range of reproductive health care, including birth control coverage as guaranteed under Federal law, provides individuals with the opportunity to lead healthy lives and get the care they need to reach their goals. (3) Contraceptive access is associated with health benefits for women, newborns, families, and communities and can lower the risk of harm to maternal and infant health. (4) An estimated 75,600,000 women of reproductive age (ages 15 through 49) live in the United States. Among the 36,300,000 of such women who are sexually active and not seeking children, percent use a …
Sponsors
- Murray, Patty (D) · primary sponsor
- Cortez Masto, Catherine (D)
- Hirono, Mazie (D)
- Baldwin, Tammy (D)
- Bennet, Michael (D)
- Blumenthal, Richard (D)
- Booker, Cory (D)
- Cantwell, Maria (D)
- Duckworth, Tammy (D)
- Fetterman, John (D)
- Gallego, Ruben (D)
- Gillibrand, Kirsten (D)
Latest actions
- : Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- : Introduced in Senate
Subjects: Health
Common questions
- What is SB5539?
- SB5539 is a bill in Congress (119th Congress): Affordability is Access Act of 2026.
- What does SB5539 do?
- In its own words: To require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives.
- What is the status of SB5539?
- In committee as of September 24, 2026. Latest action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (September 24, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB5539?
- Murray, Patty (D), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB5539?
- On the Congress website: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5539
Source: official Congress record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.