College students across the country should be prepared to pay higher prices for oral contraceptives at their student health centers. It is estimated that prices per pack of pills will almost triple from around $10 a month to up to $30. This doubling and tripling of birth control pill prices are due to a change in the Medicaid rebate law that was part of a 2005 deficit-reduction bill. Unfortunately, college health administrators did not anticipate that this law was going to affect their student populations.
According to the American College Health Association, an estimated 39% of undergraduate women use The Pill. Health officials are now concerned that these students may seek out lower cost alternative contraceptives (which tend to be less reliable) or may stop using birth control altogether. There is no doubt that this significant price hike will have some type of effect on the students who rely on this method of contraception. The question becomes, how much of an effect will it have? Enough to deter female students from using this method? Place your vote (and/or leave a comment)!
POLL: Will You Stop Using the Pill Due to this Price Increase?
1) Yes - and I will switch methods
2) Yes - and I will stop using birth control
3) No
4) Undecided - I will wait and see
Photo (c) 2007 Dawn Stacey licensed to About.com, Inc
