Governor Evers Announces Over-the-Counter Contraceptives Free to All Wisconsinites Who Receive Public Health Insurance

Thursday, January 25th, 2024 -- 3:00 PM

(Anya van Wagtendonk, Wisconsin Public Radio) Gov. Tony Evers will make over-the-counter contraceptives free to Wisconsinites who receive public health insurance, he announced Tuesday during his annual State of the State address.

According to Anya van Wagtendonk with the Wisconsin Public Radio, the announcement comes as the status of abortion access in Wisconsin is pending in state court. Evers has made reproductive choice a lynchpin of his tenure.

BadgerCare Plus recipients can currently receive emergency contraception over-the-counter, and receive daily contraception as long as they have a prescription. The Evers mandate will make norgestrel, a daily oral contraceptive that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for nonprescription use last summer, available to BadgerCare Plus recipients for free.

And one day after a public hearing about a GOP bill that would limit abortion access to the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, down from 20 weeks, and as the status of abortion is pending in state court, Evers pledged to veto any bill that would affect reproductive choice.

He tied the abortion question to a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision that overturned the state’s gerrymandered legislative maps, arguing that different maps will force the Legislature to reflect that a majority of Wisconsinites support legal abortion. Evers’ speech focused on workforce shortages, with calls to legislators to take action on child care, education and infrastructure. 

He called for Republicans to work on re-funding Child Care Counts, a pandemic-era federal subsidy program that kept some childcare providers afloat during COVID-19 closures.

Advocates flooded the state Capitol throughout 2023, warning that care centers would shutter without the continuation of that program. Republicans in the Legislature did not extend funding, instead offering their own proposals aimed at addressing the child care shortage.

Evers argued on Tuesday that 87,000 kids would be left without care if that program is not supported. His address also focused on mental health, the theme of last year’s State of the State address.

His budget plan included more than $500 million to expand access to mental health services statewide, but most of the funding was cut by legislative Republicans. On Tuesday, Evers announced the creation of the Governor’s Interagency Council on Mental Health, saying his concerns have not waned.

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