This important improvement, which helps women of all ages, went into effect earlier for student health plans (which typically begin with the start of the new school year) than for other plans, like the ones offered by employers. Many employer-sponsored plans operate on a calendar year, so most women insured this way saw the change kick in on January 1, 2013.

More affordable access to birth control can help students protect their health and their future. It makes it easier for young women to prevent unplanned pregnancies and helps them accomplish important goals like finishing school and becoming financially independent.

To ensure that women on college campuses know about this great improvement in the law and that student health plans have made the necessary changes in their insurance coverage, the National Women’s Health Network has joined with our partners in Raising Women’s Voices for the Healthcare We Need, on a new campaign called Our Campus, Our Coverage. This advocacy and education campaign informs women enrolled in college and university health plans about the new benefits, provides them with tools to educate their classmates about the changes, and supports their advocacy efforts to ensure that their student plans provide the coverage promised by the law.

Our Campus, Our Coverage began with educational webinars designed to inform student leaders about the basic details of the new coverage that women should have through their college or university health plans. Now we are working with student leaders and activists on campuses nationwide to help them organize roundtable discussions, guest lectures and activist trainings. Our goal is to help young women learn more about these new benefits and help them advocate for school policies that deliver on the promises of health reform.

If you’re a student, we hope you’ll join the campaign! To learn more about the Our Campus, Our Coverage campaign —including upcoming events and tools to assess your student health plan — please visit the website at: http://CountdownToCoverage.org/OurCoverage. Get the facts about the new coverage benefits, and bring Our Campus, Our Coverage to your college or university!

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