The Unreasonable Cost of Birth Control on Campus

March 25, 2009     Posted in Reality

When someone wrote into College Candy asking us to investigate the raising prices of birth control on and near college campuses across America, I was moderately shocked.

26

By Elizabeth

I have always had health insurance and never really thought about what the birth control options were without it. That made my birth control a whole $8 a month or so. But that’s neither here nor there. I don’t have health insurance anymore and neither do many college girls in need of birth control.

The laws have changed since the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which alters how drug makers are permitted to calculate rebates related to Medicaid. Somehow or another, this act twisted itself around to make it expensive for companies to offer schools discounts on birth control. Lame. So instead of paying $3-$10 a pack, thanks to discounts, college students are now being forced to pay $30-$50 a pack instead. Even for the cases when insurance would cover the difference, what about the girls who don’t want to involve their parents’ insurance with their birth control?

A female college student should be able to obtain reasonably priced birth control in this country without the assistance of health insurance.

Of course there are numbers of conservative folks out there who would argue that with sex comes the responsibility of motherhood, but if I may beg to differ, that is an opinion. The problems associated with unplanned pregnancy, on the other hand, are hard facts.

Who is really driving the drug companies to make specific decisions like this? Paying this much money for birth control, especially during a recession, is what I would qualify as unreasonable. Were these packs of cigarettes, not packs of helpful pills, then I’d understand. But birth control should be at the disposal of all sexually active young women in our country not yet prepared to mother.

Birth control doesn’t create a problem–it prevents one. Not offering birth control at a reasonable rate might push girls to stop using it, leaving this country with the burden of paying to care for more unwanted children.

Young women should not be punished for trying to make responsible choices and we must get up and remind the lawmakers, drug companies and universities of this fact. There is no reason men should be able to get Viagra for $8 a bottle, but women must spend 5 times that much on birth control.

Have you had this problem on your campus? How much does your birth control cost?

[Photo from Abcnews.net]

26 Comments on "The Unreasonable Cost of Birth Control on Campus"

  1. Austin Duggan says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20096:52 am 

    This problem (and it is a problem) extends from the disgraceful healthcare system that we have in America. Pharmaceutical and insurance corporations collude with lawmakers to increase their profits far beyond anything they could achieve in a free market. But this should be expected. That's what businesspeople do – try to increase profits, usually by whatever means. That being said, you won't get any change appealing to the insurance and pharmaceutical companies unless you can appeal to their pocket-books. And that's tough because a boycott seems out of the question in this case. But an appeal to government is likely to ruffle some feathers. Harass your congressperson. Politicians tend to dislike getting any negative press concerning issues like this.

  2. C says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20097:18 am 

    My campus health center never offered discounts – I wish they did! I get a slight student discount through the university hospital, but I pay $65 per pack. I've chosen not to use my family insurance, and there's no generic out yet, so I'm stuck with it. :(

  3. Lauren - University says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20097:23 am 

    That is so absurd. Think about how many girls may not get birth control because they cannot afford it!

    I am just lucky that my parents were so open and understanding and I could get it with insurance.

  4. M from Canada says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20097:43 am 

    It works different in Canada, or in Ontario at least. The discount comes from having a drugplan, with my family drugplan I can get 3 months worth for a couple dollars (usually around $4.50), without a drugplan they're more expensive, my friends pay anywhere from $10 to $50 for 3 months. But $65 is just ridiculous, I'm surprised there isn't illegal birth control labs popping up, getting bc off the street corner may seem unsafe but it beats not having it cause you have to pay $65 a pack.

  5. D says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20097:49 am 

    I qualify at Plan Parenthood for free BC. They even gave me a form to apply for state health insurance that would be free and cover birth control/gyno vists. If I remember correctly they will give discounted BC depending on the financial situation. If you can’t/don’t go to Plan Parenthood I’d recommend shopping pharmacies for the best BC price. Walmart is usually the best around. But don’t worry! A lot of pharmacies do price matches with competition if you ask them! So you can get the Walmart price without having to leave your local pharmacy.

  6. Casey says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20098:21 am 

    I'm not saying I don't agree with you about the cost of BC (heaven knows I was paying 65 dollars a month for about 3 years for mine). But I think it's a bit ridiculous that you say "with sex comes the responsibility of motherhood" is an opinion. Sex is initially for reproduction, it just happens to feel really really good. My boyfriend came home the other night completely turned off to sex because at work his co-workers were all talking about being parents and children. ALL of the men and women who were having that discussion said that they wished they hadn't had children and that 5 minutes alone with their children was enough birth control. And 4 out of the 5 women said that they got pregnant while on the pill AND using condoms. So when no form of birth control is 100% effective (or even close in some cases) then yes, With sex comes the responsibility of motherhood. That is a fact. If a boy and girl can't face the fact that sex produces children (even with the use of BC) then they should NOT be having sex.

    Just because something feels good doesn't mean you should do it. There are repercussions to everything.

  7. Austin Duggan says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20099:28 am 

    Casey's argument is fallacious. Here's why. While it is true that "no form of birth control is 100% effective", I hope that it has been established that the pill's effectiveness is high, especially when coupled with a condom. Now of course those who are sexually active have some idea, I hope, that what they do brings with it the chance of pregnancy. But if they have taken all the precautions, then it seems to me that we should not judge them negatively for their sexual activity (which is often done for reasons over and above feeling "really really good"; love, shared joy, sanity, etc.) Furthermore, we should say that they've done nothing wrong, even if their act results in an unintended pregnancy. Consider driving. Even a careful driver who is cautious and obeys traffic laws risks the lives of the pedestrians and fellow drivers on the road. That is to say "no form of (driving) is 100% effective." If we apply Casey's strict principle, we will reach the conclusion that "If a boy and girl can’t face the fact that (even careful driving) produces (driving-related deaths) then they should NOT be (driving)." Clearly, this conclusion is absurd. So to is Casey's original conclusion.

  8. Casey says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20099:46 am 

    Dude, chill out. I wasn't "judging" anyone, especially negatively. And I wasn't saying that it is wrong to have sex for any other reason but to reproduce (umm if you read the beginning of my post than it would be clear that I DONT have sex to reproduce.) I just took issue with the author saying that it is "opinion" that with sex comes the responsibility of motherhood. Touting BC as being sufficient enough to not reproduce during sex is ignorant. Yes, some BC is very highly effective, but to say BC is very highly effective AND it is opinion that with sex comes the responsibility of motherhood is dangerous to people who were brought up with an abstinence only sex education. It SHOULD be taught that with sex comes the Possibility of the responsibility of motherhood. That sex is never 100% safe, and IF you desire to have sex, you have to be prepared for the consequences of your decisions. It is that way with anything, driving, sports, leaving your house, whatever. But to say it is an opinion when there is no 100% effective way other than abstinence (or having your ovaries and or testes removed entirely) is absurd and FALSE.

  9. Matt says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 200910:32 am 

    I kind of agree with Casey in that while the $65 or so is outrageous for the pill, we are not guaranteed or entitled to birth control pills. The pill is a fantastic pill (even from a male's perspective), but it is not in any way a true necessity.

  10. Cait says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 200911:37 am 

    I have been paying about $25 at the on-campus pharmacy, but I just realized I could get my birth control at WalMart for $9 a month. Wish I would have figured that out sooner, but it’s definitely a great deal! It might be worth a try to check and see if they carry your brand.

  11. La says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 200911:48 am 

    The one directive of the human race is to reproduce. Religion and politics aside, we must understand this. But due to technology, we have evolved into intelligent creatures that live a parallel life to the environment and nature. As such, we are no longer in tune with the natural rhythm of life and death, and the population has grown quite out of control. Birth control is a logical way to to engage in the act of WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO, without the fundamental consequence. We are very sexual beings, and we will continue to engage in sexual acts. Birth control offers a solution to the bigger problem without deterring us from getting hot and heavy like we need and want.

  12. La says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 200911:49 am 

    By the way, sex doesn't just "happen" to feel good, it is MEANT to feel good to encourage us to do it often. Seriously, if sex felt bad, there would be a HELL of a lot less people here on Earth, if here at all.

  13. Aisling says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 200912:22 pm 

    If anyone would get cheap BC with help from their insurance but doesn't want to have that convo with the parents, you could always go with the bad cramps, bad skin (if you have it), irregular periods reason for using it. Yeah, you might be lying but it's hard to argue with and probably worth it in the long run.

  14. Kristina says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20091:25 pm 

    Actually, Matt, for some of us it IS a necessity. I pay $20-ish a month for BC taken for medical reasons.

  15. Ry says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20092:05 pm 

    I go to a religious college so (unfortunately), we can't get birth control on campus. A lot of girls use their doctor back home or the Planned Parenthood in town and end up spending $10-$50. Does anyone know how much it costs to buy the pill or ring from Planned Parenthood without signing up for insurance and what not?

  16. Kelly says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20092:31 pm 

    There was an article in my college newspaper today about Obama's new birth control plan to help girls like us pay, and how it actually won't affect us at all. Insurance and the drug companies have to decided first which kinds they want to discount and that might not be the kind you need. Mine is covered by my parents insurance (horrible cramps since I was 14) but if I lose a pack, its $68 for a replacement.

  17. Leigh says:
    Wed, 25th Mar 20093:50 pm 

    I've been on the pill for almost 4 years, and sometimes, seemingly randomly, Wal-Mart will charge me $40, and sometimes it's free. This really sucks, but it's better than it being $40 all the time. I think the way my family's insurance works is that if we use up all the alloted money for a month and my prescription is not as important as my dad's are then I get jipped. Also, I told my parents I wanted it for the skin clearing/cramp reducing/period regulating effect, and they were totally game.

  18. NPgal says:
    Thu, 26th Mar 20092:50 pm 

    OMG, and here I am thinking that 15 dollars/pack a month is a lot. I can’t believe that some of you have to pay up to 65! that is insane. I get my pack of bc from 15 dollars a pack from the planned parerenthood near my school.

  19. Jess says:
    Sat, 28th Mar 20098:18 am 

    My best friend has to be $90 for a 6 month supply. It's ridiculous. Thankfully I have good insurance that covers the entire thing.

  20. Casey says:
    Sat, 28th Mar 20097:23 pm 

    90 dollars for a 6 month supply? That's only 15 dollars a month and that's not bad at all. When I got on my own insurance mine dropped from 65 dollars to 12 dollars, but now I'm paying 43 dollars a month for health insurance (which isn't bad, my parents were paying 2100.00 a month) so I'm still not really saving money.

  21. JIll says:
    Tue, 14th Jul 20099:40 am 

    The only place I found on the internet for cheap birth control is: http://www.MyCycleDirect.com. The MyCycle company is the #1 online Birth Control Pharmacy

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