Recently, the New York State commissioner Dr. James McDonald and Governor Kathy Hochul signed a standing order for 3 types of hormonal birth control, the oral hormonal birth control, Hormonal Vaginal Ring, and Hormonal Contraceptive Patch. A standing order is basically a general prescription for everyone so you don’t need a prescription just for you from your doctor.

Now pharmacies all over New York are allowed to sell up to 12 months of birth control to anyone who wants or needs it. If you would like to get this birth control, you should call your local pharmacy to see if they have it. If they do, to get the birth control, depending on what type you want, you have to go to the pharmacy, do a self screening form to see if you are suitable for any of these options and if the pharmacist determines you are, they will provide counseling about direction for self-administered usage of the birth control, potential risks associated with it, and risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections if you are sexually active.

To get your prescription renewed and keep receiving it, you will have to complete the self screening form at minimum every 12 months. Unless requested otherwise, the pharmacy will let your primary care doctor know that they are giving you birth control. CVS has said that the O-pill will be free of charge in most cases and rite aid has said that all of their stores will carry it. O-pill over-the-counter birth control pills are available at Rite Aid, Walmart, and Walgreens for $19.99 for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply. The O-pill is available over the counter, meaning all you have to do is go up to the pharmacy and ask for it, while other options might require the screening mentioned above. In these times of so many basic reproductive rights being stripped of people in other states, It is wonderful that New York is leading the country in reproductive rights.

Before going on hormonal birth control, you should talk to your doctor if at all possible to decide what option is best for you.
Here is the link to the self screening form you have to fill out for some of these birth controls.

https://health.ny.gov/community/reproductive_health/docs/self_screening_questionnaire.pdf