A bill in Colorado would provide free contraception and reproductive care to people living in the United States undocumented.
The project aims to create a reproductive health care program within the state health department to provide contraceptives, management of contraceptive products or devices, and counseling to individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid due to immigration status.
Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo, one of the bill’s sponsors, cited medical studies showing that access to contraception leads to decreased maternal and infant mortality and higher student graduation rates among young women.
“By helping them plan for pregnancies and achieve goals like graduation or higher education, more Coloradans will be able to make informed, healthy choices and avoid the cycle of poverty,” Caraveo said.
The bill also allows Medicaid recipients to get 12 months of birth control at a time, a service that some private insurance companies currently provide, Caraveo said.
Across the United States, 38% of Latinas are uninsured and a quarter live in poverty. In Colorado, Latinos have the highest rate of uninsured with 27% of the population.
The bill’s fiscal note estimates that about 27,000 people are eligible for the program and will enroll, which could prevent 200 unintended pregnancies each year and save the state an average of $ 10,765 per pregnancy.
Republican Rep. Mark Baisley said he could not support the bill in the interests of his constituents.
“The money to pay for those things doesn’t just come from the state. It doesn’t just come from the government. It comes from people who pay taxes to pay for that, ”he said.
The Colorado Catholic Conference opposes the bill because of the church’s views on birth control.
The bill passed the committee with a vote of 8 to 4 and all Republicans present opposed it. You will then go to the home assignments.