We have received text from H.R. 10597: Affordability is Access Act of 2026. This bill was received on 2026-09-24, and currently has 38 cosponsors.
Here is a short summary of the bill:
This bill would require most group health plans and individual health insurance plans to cover over-the-counter birth control without requiring a prescription and without charging the enrollee any out-of-pocket cost.
What the bill does
- It says health plans must cover contraceptives that the FDA has approved, cleared, granted, or otherwise legally allowed to be sold without a prescription.
- It directs the federal agencies that oversee health coverage to make clear that this coverage applies even when a person does not have a prescription.
- It also says coverage must continue for prescription contraceptives, but for drugs that have multiple therapeutically equivalent versions, insurers would only have to cover one of those equivalent options.
Purpose and background
The bill states that its goal is to make birth control easier to get and more affordable. It says many people still face cost barriers or have trouble finding the specific contraceptive method they want, even though federal law already requires some contraceptive coverage.
Retailer requirements
The bill would also place a rule on retailers that sell FDA-approved nonprescription contraception. Those retailers could not interfere with a person’s ability to buy the product or access medically accurate information about it.
At the same time, the bill would not require a retailer to provide the product if the person cannot pay for it, whether directly, through insurance, or another payment method.
Limits and clarifications
- The bill says it does not change the Food and Drug Administration’s existing authority to decide whether products are safe and effective for nonprescription sale.
- It also says the bill does not override state or federal laws that give consumers greater protections.
Likely practical effect
If enacted, the bill would likely make some forms of birth control cheaper to obtain for insured consumers and easier to access without a doctor’s visit or prescription. It could also affect insurance companies, pharmacy benefit managers, and manufacturers of contraceptive products by changing what plans must cover and reimburse.
Relevant Companies
- PFE — Pfizer could be affected if any of its contraceptive or related women’s health products are covered differently under the new rules.
- ABBV — AbbVie could be affected if any contraceptive products it markets or acquires are impacted by mandated coverage for over-the-counter birth control.
- TEVA — Teva could be affected through sales of generic contraceptive products that may be covered more broadly by insurance plans.
- SNY — Sanofi could be affected if any reproductive health products it sells are included among covered contraceptives.
Representative Ayanna Pressley Bill Proposals
Here are some bills which have recently been proposed by Representative Ayanna Pressley:
- H.R.10597: Affordability is Access Act of 2026
- H.R.10397: Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act of 2026
- H.R.9873: Inclusive Democracy Act of 2026
- H.R.9817: Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act
- H.R.9816: MOMMIES Act
- H.R.9364: FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act
You can track bills proposed by Representative Ayanna Pressley on Quiver Quantitative's politician page for Pressley.
Representative Ayanna Pressley Net Worth
Quiver Quantitative estimates that Representative Ayanna Pressley is worth $4.9M, as of September 30th, 2026. This is the 174th highest net worth in Congress, per our live estimates.
Pressley has approximately $0 invested in publicly traded assets which Quiver is able to track live.
You can track Representative Ayanna Pressley's net worth on Quiver Quantitative's politician page for Pressley.
2026 Massachusetts's 7th Congressional District Election
There has been approximately $1,374,266 of spending in Massachusetts's 7th congressional district elections over the last two years, per our estimates.
Approximately $25,221 of this has been from outside spending by PACs and Super PACs. Some of the groups who are spending money in this race include:
- WE DECIDE ($23,504)
- CHINESE PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ACTION INC. ($1,333)
The rating for this race is currently "Solid D".
You can track this election on our matchup page for the 2026 Massachusetts's 7th congressional district election.
This article is not financial advice. See Quiver Quantitative's disclaimers for more information.
