Bill in Virginia House seeks broader insurance coverage for contraceptives

A new proposal from State Del. Joshua E. Thomas is set to expand and clarify insurance requirements for contraceptive drugs and devices. The purpose, according to the Virginia State House, is to help lower patient barriers.

The measure, designated as HB1182 and introduced Jan. 14, 2026, in the 2026 regular session, is officially titled: “Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs & devices, including over-the-counter.”

We have summarized the main elements below based on the bill text, and this may also reflect interpretations intended to make its language clear.

Broadly, this legislation extends and further defines health insurance mandates concerning contraceptive drugs and devices. It establishes what is meant by contraceptive drugs, devices, medical necessity, and therapeutically equivalent alternatives, directing insurers and health maintenance organizations that cover outpatient prescription medications to provide coverage for all FDA-approved contraceptives, including those available over the counter, without unnecessary barriers such as added prescriptions or special requests. The bill places limits on cost sharing by requiring that at least one form of each contraceptive be covered without cost sharing and mandates coverage at no cost for a specific product if medically necessary. It also ensures coverage for up to a 12-month supply of self-administered hormonal contraceptives at one time, and mandates no-cost, point-of-sale availability of over-the-counter hormonal contraceptives at in-network pharmacies. These requirements apply to plans delivered, issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2027.

The sponsors for the bill include Rep. Joshua E. Thomas (Democrat-21st District), Rep. Elizabeth R. Guzman (Democrat-22nd District), Rep. Margaret A. Franklin (Democrat-23rd District), and 51 additional sponsors.

In this session, Thomas has introduced 12 additional bills.

Thomas earned a BA from Vanderbilt University in 2010 and a JD from The College of William and Mary in 2018.

Thomas, a Democrat, secured election to the Virginia State House in 2024 to serve the 21st House district, succeeding Kelly Convirs-Fowler as state representative.

In Virginia, the legislative process begins when a bill is put forward in either the House of Delegates or the Senate. The bill is then referred to one or more committees for review and possible changes. Approval in committee sends the bill to the floor for debate and votes in both chambers. If both approve, the bill moves to the governor, who can sign, veto, or allow it to become law without signature. The Virginia General Assembly meets annually in regular session, starting each year on the second Monday in January. Legislators put forward hundreds of bills every year, but only a subset become law.

Information in this article was obtained from the Virginia State House. The source data can be found here.