HB 293 Summary

• Requires health insurance policies and public employee benefit plans to cover prescription contraceptives and contraceptive-related physician services without exclusions if they cover other prescription drugs and outpatient services.

• Mandates comprehensive sexual health education in schools with medically accurate information about contraception and disease prevention, while allowing parents to request their children be excused and permitting HIV/AIDS prevention education requirements.

• Establishes hospital standard of care to provide sexual assault victims with information about and access to emergency contraception, sexually transmitted disease screening and treatment, and follow-up care referrals.

• Creates an Ohio teen pregnancy prevention task force to advise the governor and legislature on pregnancy prevention strategies and submit annual reports with recommendations.

• Requires pharmacies to dispense requested contraceptives without delay, provide referrals or transfer prescriptions if items are unavailable, and prohibits employee interference with contraceptive requests.