Health insurance companies in the State of Washington now must cover a 12-month supply of birth control pills, rather than 12 separate 30-day refills, as a result of a new state law.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the prescriptions are provided to consumers at no cost. Now, Washington law provides that women can get a 12-month supply of birth control pills in one visit to a pharmacy without paying out of pocket.

Before this change in the law, women had to get refills once every 30 to 90 days.