March 25, 2026
Mrs. Hinson (for herself, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, Ms. Malliotakis, and Mr. Ciscomani) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on contraceptive access at community health centers in health care deserts.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Access to LARCs Act
.
Sec. 2. Study and report on access to range of contraceptive methods at community health centers
(a) Study
The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary
) shall conduct a study on the access of women in need to a range of contraceptive methods at community health centers located in health care deserts. Such study shall—
(1)
include analysis related to reimbursement, inventory stocking, provider training, patient education, and other barriers to community health centers providing a range of contraceptive methods; and
(2)
indicate which community health centers are recipients of funding under title X of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300 et seq.).
(b) Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the results of the study under subsection (a).
(c) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Community health center
The term community health center means a health center (as defined in section 330(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(a))).
(2) Contraceptive method
The term contraceptive method means—
(A)
a drug or device (as such terms are defined in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321)), or combination product, approved for use under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321 et seq.) as a method of contraception, except when such drug, device, or combination product is used on- or off-label as an emergency contraceptive;
(B)
sexual risk avoidance education; and
(C)
natural family planning or other fertility-based methods of family planning.
(3) Health care desert
The term health care desert means a State or political subdivision thereof with less than 1 community health center for every 1,000 women in need.
(4) Range of contraceptive methods
The term range of contraceptive methods means 2 or more contraceptive methods.
(5) Women in need
The term women in need means women eligible for benefits under a Federal health care program (as defined in section 1128B(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7b(f))).