Free Birth Control in British Columbia: 6 Things to Consider
British Columbia has officially become the first province in Canada to offer free contraception. While this is a definite success for advocates, it also brings to mind some limitations about our delivery of reproductive health services and Canadian healthcare.
THE BENEFITS
Health Equity
Perhaps the most obvious, this policy reduces socioeconomic barriers for people to make choices about their sexual and reproductive health. The current plan, as it stands, includes coverage for a variety of prescription contraceptives (Plan B, IUDs, etc.) giving individuals agency to choose what is best for them.
Healthcare Diversity
As early as May 2023, individuals will be able to access prescription contraception directly from pharmacists, skipping a GP visit. This aligns with BC’s plans to expand the scope of pharmacists to include greater latitude for prescribing medications. Given the many strains on our primary healthcare system, this represents an exciting step in rethinking how we can more efficiently deliver healthcare.
Fiscal Responsibility
Even for those not persuaded by the health, social, or moral arguments for this policy, proponents argue that this policy is beneficial from a purely economic lens. While BC has budgeted $119 M over the next 3 years to provide free contraception, this policy could save BC up to $95 M per year ($285 M over 3 years) in healthcare and social costs due to unintended pregnancies. This means that this policy has the potential to produce net savings for the healthcare system.
THE LIMITATIONS
National Pharmacare
While this policy will likely catalyze discussions of similar policies in other provinces and territories, the very fact that there is no national standard of pharmacare represents an unacceptable healthcare inequality across this country that, in my mind, isn’t consistent with Canadian healthcare values.
Barriers to Contraception
We should keep in mind that this policy only addresses one of many barriers to contraception. Other problematic barriers, including location and physician biases, will still need to be evaluated and addressed to advance equitable access to sexual and reproductive health care.
Continuous Improvement
Although this policy is in itself a significant step in the right direction, we should treat it as a part of a larger, more comprehensive, and continuous discussion on how to reform our healthcare system to provide equitable and high-quality care to Canadians for years to come. We need innovative solutions to address our most pressing issues, alongside a commitment to reevaluate our strategies to ensure we’re aligning our healthcare delivery with patient-centered goals.
