Originally published on July 22, 2021 4:17 pm
Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation Thursday that will allow pharmacists in the state to dole out hormonal birth control, including the pill.
The new law, which takes effect in January, requires pharmacists to get education that will include how to counsel patients and an assessment for screening.
State Senator Melinda Bush, a Grayslake Democrat, sponsored the measure.
“We believe that family planning and reproductive health care are personal choices that should never be limited by economic or social status,” she said.
Insurance plans, including Medicaid, that will pay for doctor-prescribed birth control, must also cover pharmacist-direct means after January First, 2023.