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Legislation may lower birth control prices |
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Thursday, 08 November 2007 |
by JAMISON DORAN
News Editor
This past January, women at colleges nationwide began to notice an increase in birth control prices, with some methods doubling and tripling in cost.
The increase was an unintended consequence of the Deficit Reduction Act and now Congress is looking into legislation to lower the cost of birth control for college women.
Appalachian State University women now pay between $10-15 a month instead of $5.
“The
American College Health Association (ACHA), which Appalachian is a
member of, has been working hard to get this law reversed,” said David
J. Neal, a clinical pharmacist at Appalachian State University’s
Student Health Services.
 University Pharmacist David Neal holds a month’s supply of Aviane, an oral contraceptive. It is one of the oral contraceptives offered at Appalachian since the price increase in January. Photo by Anna Donlan
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U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation Nov. 1 to
reverse the increases in birth control price on college campuses.
Crowley’s bipartisan Prevention Through Affordable Access Act requests
that Congress permit drug companies to provide low cost birth control
options to college health centers.
In his bill, Crowley said this would “correct a bureaucratic mistake”
that has affected three million college-age women and has had a
disproportionate impact on low-income students.
Appalachian has been impacted heavily because of the changes.
“[Student Health Services] used to have a variety of options for women
at $5 per pack. Now we only have three oral options and one injection
option,” Neal said.
Student Health Services looks to provide the lowest cost options to the
students it serves and providing birth control options that cost $50
and $60 dollars a month did not line up with their mission, Neal said.
Because of the cost increases, Student Health Services has been forced
to completely eliminate several popular forms of birth control because
there are no generic options currently available.
Two forms that have been eliminated from Appalachian’s health center are Yaz and NuvaRing.
Yaz is an oral birth control pill taken daily that has gained
popularity because it offers shorter periods and helps curb some of the
side effects caused by premenstrual syndrome.
NuvaRing is an alternative form of birth control that is placed vaginally instead of taken orally.
“NuvaRing was a good option for some because women did not have to
remember to take a pill every day. However, because of this
legislation, NuvaRing now costs $40-$50 when it had been $5, so we
could no longer carry it,” Neal said.
Neal also said this increase has been extremely frustrating for
students for monetary reasons. Many are unable to purchase the types of
birth control they are comfortable with because they are no longer
available on campus or cannot afford them.
However, for students who are limited financially, the Watauga County Health Department offers free birth control.
“It’s entirely based on income where people can pay between 0-100
percent, with most falling somewhere in the 20-30 percent range,” said
Pam Rush, lead nurse for the family planning program at the Watauga
County Health Department.
The price of birth control methods is included in a woman’s annual exam
and if she were to fall in the 0 percent category, she would get her
exam and her birth control completely free of charge.
While this option may be good for some, not all methods of birth control are available.
“[The Watauga County Health Department] mostly carries Ortho products
that are taken orally due to their low cost. We do not have any of the
newer products that a lot of college-age women are interested in,” Rush
said.
Student Health Services is hoping the new legislation will be enacted soon to help alleviate the cost of birth control.
“This has been frustrating for all parties involved and it is our hope that this legislation will be reversed,” Neal said.
While frustrating for Student Health Services, it is even more
frustrating for women who have had to change their entire routines
because of the legislation.
Ashley R. Banford, a senior psychology major, has been impacted heavily by this legislation.
“I’m no longer on birth control because [Student Health Services]
discontinued the name brand that I used,” she said. “I switched to a
generic but had complications and just had to discontinue my use all
together.”
Banford believes universities should be able to receive name brand
birth control at reasonable prices for its students because it can
cause some unhealthy consequences.
“[This legislation] caused me to go off of birth control which isn’t an ideal or healthy option,” Banford said.
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And what about those who really don't have an extra $10 lying around?
"Student Health Services looks to provide the lowest cost options to the students it serves and providing birth control options that cost $50 and $60 dollars a month did not line up with their mission, Neal said."
Many women experience inconveniences and/or complications from switching methods.
What college student can pay that amount of money on birth control every month?
$5 to $60 is a pretty big jump.