Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Through Prescription...

Teenage Pregnancy Prevention through Prescription Contraceptives Denise Houy George Washington University NURS 6205 June 6, 2016 Teenage Pregnancy Prevention through Prescription Contraceptives What’s the issue? Teenage and unplanned pregnancy is always a trending topic in society. The United States has made substantial progress in reducing teenage birth rates during the past several decades, but rates remain high, particularly compared with rates in other developed countries (Godfrey, 2015).With the rates being so high in the United States still, we still need to continue promoting prevention of teenage pregnancy so that there will be a continue of decline in rates. There are many ways to prevent teenage or unplanned†¦show more content†¦One option of public assistance that teenagers have access to and can apply for is through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), where they can see if they are eligible for Medicaid. For individuals up to the age of 21 years in Virginia that cannot afford prescription contraceptives would be a benefit to Senate Bill 404. This bill requires the State Board of Medical Assistance Services to include in its state plan for medical assi stance a provision for the payment of medical assistance for any prescribed drug or device approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use as a contraceptive and requires such provision to provide payments to dispensers for dispensing of prescription contraceptives intended to last for a 12-month period (S. 404, 2016). This will provide medical assistance and reimbursements or payments for FDA approved prescription drug or devices for contraceptives for a period of 12 months. What’s the background and significance? Although there has been a tremendous decline in teenage pregnancy and birth rates in the United States since 1991, rates are the highest of any western industrialized nation and comparable countries (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2016). Roughly one in four girls will be pregnancy at least once before age 20 (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2016). There are many disparities among teens in the United States that include racial and ethnic lines, geographic regions, rural and urban areas, and