AccessBC

Press Release - June 1, 2026

 

Free contraception reduces patient spending, study finds​​

 

BC’s free prescription contraception program cuts out-of-pocket patient spending by 83%

 

Victoria, BC - June 1, 2026: A new peer-reviewed study published on May 29, 2026 in JAMA Health Forum shows that British Columbia’s universal, no-cost prescription contraception policy has sharply reduced out-of-pocket costs for reproductive-aged women aged 15 to 49, and especially individuals aged 20 to 29.
 

The study, Universal Free Contraception Coverage Policy, Out-of-Pocket Payments, and Costs, examined nearly 2.8 million contraceptive prescriptions dispensed in BC over four years, covering the two years before and two years after BC’s policy came into effect on April 1, 2023. Researchers found that the share of contraceptive prescriptions paid for out of pocket fell from 38.7% before the policy to 9.6% after two years. By the two-year mark, while total contraceptive spending across patients, insurers, and the public system remained stable, out-of-pocket patient spending was 83% lower than expected, translating into average savings of $43 per contraceptive user per year.
 

“This study is a vindication of what AccessBC, health care providers, and people across this province have been saying for years: when governments remove cost barriers to medication, people save money and get the care they need,” said Teale Phelps Bondaroff, Chair and Co-Founder of AccessBC. “BC’s free prescription contraception policy is working. It is saving people money, improving access to life-saving and life-changing medicine, and showing the rest of Canada why we need national pharmacare.”
 

AccessBC, the grassroots campaign that successfully fought for BC’s free prescription contraception policy, says the findings confirm what advocates heard for years from people forced to choose between prescription contraception and other necessities. In a cost-of-living crisis, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for essential medications is one of the most direct ways governments can make life more affordable.
 

“British Columbia's universal contraception program is a powerful example of how public policy can improve access to care,” said Dr. Ruth Habte, AccessBC Campaign Organizer and Obstetrician-Gynaecologist. “This study demonstrates that universal coverage meaningfully reduces out-of-pocket expenses and helps ensure people can make reproductive health decisions based on their needs, not their finances.”
 

The new study found that individuals aged 20 to 29 saw the largest reduction in out-of-pocket costs. Before the policy, this age group had the highest out-of-pocket share of contraception costs, at 44.6%. Researchers found that people in this age group saw costs fall by $11 per capita per year, compared with an $8 per-capita reduction across all age groups.
 

“This matters enormously for young adults, students, people in precarious work, and people without workplace benefits,” said Devon Black, National Liaison and Co-Founder of AccessBC. “People in their 20s are dealing with sky-high inflation, struggling to cover basic expenses, and too often falling through the cracks of private drug coverage. BC’s policy shows that public, universal, first-dollar coverage closes those gaps.”
 

The study also found that the policy supported increased uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptives, specifically intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants. These methods are some of the most reliable and effective forms of prescription contraception, but also the most expensive up front. In other provinces, a hormonal IUD can cost as much as $550, while a hormonal implant can cost $350, compared with the cost of pills, which can range from $15 to over $50 a month. 
 

The findings come as Canadians across the country continue to struggle with prescription drug costs. Nearly one-quarter of Canadians (22%) are splitting pills, skipping doses, or deciding not to fill or renew a prescription due to cost, according to a 2024 Leger poll. Canada remains the only country with universal health care that does not include universal coverage for prescription medications.
 

While federal pharmacare was passed in October 2024, only British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, and the Yukon have signed agreements for universal coverage of diabetes medications and contraceptives to date. A recent open letter from AccessBC, the Council of Canadians, and over 65 other civil society organizations from across Canada warned that the federal government has not provided clear commitments to sign new pharmacare deals or make existing agreements permanent beyond March 2029.

AccessBC is calling on the Carney government to immediately resume bilateral negotiations with every province and territory that does not yet have a pharmacare agreement, and to make existing agreements permanent beyond March 2029.

“Universal health care cannot stop at the hospital door, and someone's ability to access life-saving and life-changing medicine should not depend on their income or postal code,” said Phelps Bondaroff. “BC’s free prescription contraception policy shows what is possible when governments choose public health, affordability, and equity over a patchwork system. Now the federal government must show actual leadership and bring those benefits to everyone in Canada.”

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