France is planning to offer free contraceptives to all young women under the age of 25 starting next year

• France announced contraception would be free to people under 25 who menstruate starting next year.
• Health Minister Olivier Véran said those who seek free contraception would also get free appointments.
• He said France plans to set aside 21 million euros, or about $25 million, to pay for the program.

France plans to offer free contraceptives to people who menstruate under the age of 25 starting next year, French Health Minister Olivier Véran announced on Thursday.

Véran said on France 2 that people under 25 would not be charged for any appointments or consultations tied to contraceptives either.

"It is intolerable that young women cannot protect themselves, cannot have contraception if they choose to do so because it is too expensive for them," he said, according to a translation from CBS News.

Véran said that France plans to set aside 21 million euros, or about $25 million, annually to pay for the new program, which will start January 1.

France made contraception free to people under 15 for the first time last year, and had previously offered it for free to people who menstruate between the ages of 15 and 18 years old.

Véran said the age 25 was chosen for the new policy "because it is an age that corresponds, in terms of economic life, social life and income, with more autonomy," and because it's the age where people are no longer covered by their parents' health insurance.

The move is in stark contrast to what's happening in the United States, where Texas recently enacted a law that bans nearly all abortions in the state.