The Daily Record named Planned Parenthood as the "2016 Innovator of the Year"
For Immediate Release: Oct. 13, 2016
Baltimore, MD (October 13, 2016) - This past summer, The Daily Record announced their Innovators of the Year ̶ 31 individuals or groups who have created new products, services or programs that have had a positive effect on business, industry or the community. Among the 31 innovators named, Planned Parenthood of Maryland (PPM) was chosen for their innovation and impact it has made on Maryland, specifically for being the lead advocates on the Maryland Contraceptive Equity Act . The nominations were judged on four basic criteria: originality, impact, challenge and value.
The Maryland Contraceptive Equity Act, which was signed by Governor Hogan on May 10, 2016, solidifies Maryland’s role as a trailblazer in women’s health care. Maryland was the first state to mandate contraceptive coverage in 1998, and now in 2016, Maryland is the first state to legislate the most comprehensive insurance coverage of birth control in the country. The law ensures that cost will no longer be a barrier to men or women getting the type of birth control they need.
Key components include:
- Eliminating most co-payments for birth control.
- Lifting pre-authorization requirements for women obtaining IUDs and implants.
- Providing equity in contraception access for men by broadening coverage of vasectomies without co-payments, the first state to mandate this provision .
- Providing insurance coverage for over-the-counter contraceptive medications, like emergency contraception or Plan B, the only state in the nation to have this provision.
- Allowing a woman to receive six months of birth control at one time so that she no longer has to return to her doctor or to the pharmacy each month to pick up her birth control.
As a result, it is expected that women will significantly lower their chances of risking an unintended pregnancy.
“The drive and creativity shown by our 2016 Innovators of the Year make a huge difference in people’s lives,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, publisher of The Daily Record. “They are willing to take risks in order to make real change happen in our state and sometimes well beyond. They represent the best of Maryland, and The Daily Record is pleased to honor them.”
PPM will be celebrated at a reception Oct. 13th at the American Visionary Art Museum.
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About PPM: The mission of Planned Parenthood of Maryland is to enable all Marylanders to have access to a wide range of high quality affordable reproductive health care services. By providing medical services, education, training and advocacy, PPM seeks to help individuals make informed decisions about their reproductive health, family planning options and sexuality.
Source
Planned Parenthood of Maryland, Inc.
Published
October 13, 2016