Every woman should have affordable and timely access to all safe and effective contraceptive options, including long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods. For women who have chosen to use an IUD or implant after delivery, placement of the device immediately postpartum (i.e. before hospital discharge) is an important option that avoids the burden of multiple appointments and lapses in contraceptive use. However, hospitals are typically reimbursed for all care and services provided to women at the time of delivery through a single predetermined fee (referred to as a “global” fee) that does not account for the high cost of these contraceptive methods. Consequently, many hospitals do not provide this timely access.
A growing number of state Medicaid programs are changing their reimbursement policies to allow hospitals to bill separately (in addition to the global fee) for IUDs and implants provided immediately postpartum. This memo provides useful resources for advocates considering similar policy initiatives in their states.
