Birth control overpay

CVS Health mails refund checks to women illegally charged for birth control

CVS Health recently charged about 11,000 women co-payments for generic birth control—a violation of the Affordable Care Act—while pharmacies at Target and Walgreens have been asked to address similar complaints of illegal co-pays.

The ACA mandates that insurers provide access to no-cost birth control, but some pharmacists may not be aware of the requirements, according to California Healthline. After an inquiry from Rep. Jackie Speier, CVS admitted a price-coding error and began mailing refund checks to women throughout the country who were overcharged.

Speier also asked Walgreens and Target to ensure their pharmacists are trained “to know and apply the basic principles of the Affordable Care Act.”