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ForwardFulfilling the Promise of ACCESS (IHP)
In 2017, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts enacted An Act Relative to Advancing Contraceptive Coverage and Economic Security in our State (hereafter “ACCESS” or “the ACCESS law”), requiring fully insured plans to cover certain FDA-approved contraceptives without deductible, copayment, or coinsurance. Additionally, this law allows consumers up to a 12–month supply of a patient’s prescribed contraception at once, without cost-sharing. Despite having gone into effect over seven years ago, full implementation has been slow due to a lack of awareness and systemic issues. As a result, the increase in requests for the 12–month provision has been low.
This course will explore the 2017 Contraceptive ACCESS law, its provisions, and limitations, as well as empower healthcare providers to best meet their patients’ contraceptive needs within the parameters of the law.
Target Audience
This program is intended for:
- Physicians Assistants / Associates (PA)
- Physicians
- Pharmacists
- Clinical nurse practitioners
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify the key components of Massachusetts’ 2017 Contraceptive ACCESS law.
- Recognize the benefits of 12–month contraception access for patients.
- Describe the 3-month trial period for 12–month dispensing to patients.
- Discuss the process of acquiring coverage for a “non-preferred method” with patients.
- Explain the process for prescribing or dispensing medically appropriate emergency contraception consistent with current state law.
- Strategize potential remedies to ensure patient-centered care.
Sarah Lee Day, JD:
Sarah Lee Day, JD, is a Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor in the Legal Skills in Social Context program at Northeastern University School of Law. She was previously a Justice Catalyst Fellow at Reproductive Equity Now, where she performed legal policy work on abortion and bodily autonomy in a post-Dobbs America and drafted tool kits and continuing education courses in support of contraceptive access.
Professor Day earned her JD from Northeastern University School of Law, where her co-ops included human rights legal advocacy with the Due Diligence Project, reproductive rights impact litigation with the Lawyering Project, and reproductive rights policy work with NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts. Prior to law school, Professor Day obtained a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, a BS in psychology from Arizona State University, and an MA in social justice and human rights from Arizona State University. Professor Day also teaches at Tufts University Experimental College, where her courses focus on the right to abortion, the law as social control, and the transformative powers of law.
Neena Qasba, MD:
Neena Qasba, MD MPH is a practicing OB-GYN and family planning specialist in Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Connecticut Medical School, completed her residency at Indiana University in Indianapolis, and fellowship and research training at Yale University. She has an MPH in Health Policy and Management and focuses her research on reproductive health policy and its impact on health outcomes. She currently serves as the Division Director of Complex Family Planning at UConn Health in Farmington, CT, and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
Kam Capoccia, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES:
Dr. Kam Capoccia is currently a Clinical Professor of Community Care at Western New England University. She received her B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut and her Pharm.D. from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. She completed a PGY1 residency at the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill and a PGY2 residency in Primary Care at the University of Washington Family Medical Center in Seattle. Dr. Capoccia has spent more than 25 years in practice as an ambulatory care pharmacist and as a community pharmacist. She has been a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS) since 2000 and became a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) in December of 2015. In September of 2018, Dr. Capoccia received the Upsher Smith Excellence in Innovation Award from the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association. She is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and her passion is providing care and support in the community.