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Oregon Rolls Out Free Birth Control for OHP Members but Limited Pharmacy Access Threatens the Program’s Impact Top Stories By Lucille McNamara On Dec 17, 2025 Last updated Dec 17, 2025 Birth control and emergency contraception are now available free of cost and without prescription from Oregon pharmacies to members of the Oregon Health Plan (OHP/Medicaid). However, while this initiative attempts to make contraception easily available, the lack of sufficient pharmacies in the state remains a major stumbling block, requiring OHP members to undertake long journeys to have prescriptions filled. Launched yesterday, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy initiative has been made possible by placing a standing order , allowing pharmacies the leeway to dispense contraceptives to OHP members who do not have prescriptions, and then bill the OHP. Tidings Data Snapshot What OHP members can get at pharmacies now 2 OTC options without a prescription : Opill / emergency contraception $0 Cost to eligible OHP members at the pharmacy counter Dec 16, 2025 Start date listed by OHA for OTC access under the standing order OHP billed Pharmacy can bill OHP under the statewide standing order Bring ID OHP ID / CCO card / personal info to confirm OHP status Source: Oregon Health Authority OHP reproductive health page and OHA standing order for OTC oral hormonal contraception and emergency contraception Dailytidings.com OHA director, Dr. Sejal Hathi, says by closing a longstanding gap between private insurance and Medicaid, OHP members will now have “greater control over their own reproductive health.” While over-the-counter emergency contraception has been available for several years, OHP members were required to pay for the medication out of pocket or to see a doctor to obtain a prescription. OHP members can now visit their approved pharmacy and obtain emergency contraception or the O-pill . They must provide their OHP ID number, CCO ID card, or personal information to enable pharmacies to confirm OHP status. Option Active ingredient Supply listed Notes Daily OTC birth control pill Norgestrel 0.075 mg tablet Up to a 12 month supply Take 1 tablet daily at the same time Emergency contraception Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg tablet 1 pack Use as directed on package OHP billing Standing order prescriber listed Refills as needed OHP may be billed for medication and supplies Oregon Has the Second-Worst Pharmacy Access Per Capita Oregon has the second-worst pharmacy access per capita, according to website information, with about 610 retail pharmacies serving the state’s 4,000,000-plus residents since mid-2024. Tidings Data Snapshot Oregon pharmacy closures by year 2019: 47 closures 2020: 31 closures 2021: 52 closures 2022: 18 closures 2023: 36 closures Source: Oregon Health Authority HCMO slides citing Oregon Board of Pharmacy closure counts Dailytidings.com However, the numbers fluctuate as closures continue. There were 772 licensed pharmacies in 2021, but by early 2024, that figure had dropped to 698. Since 2008, more than 200 chain and independent pharmacies in Oregon have closed their doors. Lawmakers’ Efforts Came to Naught as Pharmacy Deserts Continue to Expand According to GoodRx, a free digital platform that helps people find the lowest prices on prescription drugs, pharmacy deserts are expanding so rapidly that 1 in 7 Americans do not have easy access to an outlet, requiring 48.4 million people to undertake a lengthy journey to have a prescription filled. In June this year, Oregon lawmakers attempted to bolster the state’s crumbling retail pharmacy desert landscape by placing restrictive measures to regulate middlemen companies. However, their efforts ultimately failed due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the legislative complexities and the threat of retaliation from insurance companies. House Bill 3213 addressed complaints by pharmacists that they are pressured by third-party administrators (middlemen) to undercut the cost of prescription drugs, forcing many pharmacies to close their doors or to drastically reduce their services. The administrators act as middlemen between pharmaceutical manufacturers, insurance companies, and retail pharmacies. Share Twitter Facebook ReddIt WhatsApp Pinterest Email