This post was made as a part of Planned Parenthood and the National Women’s Law Center’s “Birth Control Matters” Campaign that aims to urge lawmakers to pass a provision of health care reform legislation that would increase the accessibility of contraception by requiring insurers to cover all costs.
If there’s anything “Teen Mom” has taught us, it’s that birth control matters — in every aspect, from education to availability. This summer, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be issuing a final decision on whether or not health care reform legislation will require health insurance companies to cover prescription birth control without a co-pay.
Status Quo: The Cost of Birth Control
Currently, of the 97 percent of health insurance plans that cover prescription medications, only 33 percent cover oral contraceptives.  On average, the Pill costs between $15 to $50 a month, which means that overall, women between the ages of 15 and 44 pay up to 68 percent more in out-of-pocket healthcare than men do. As the Pill is only attainable by prescription, a doctor’s visit is required. Though a routine visit where you can discuss your needs and medical history with your doctor in order to determine the best method of contraception for you is often sufficient, occasionally a medical exam may be necessary, which can cost between $35 to $250 depending on what tests you will need and what your health plan covers. According to Planned Parenthood, more than 50 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 34 find it difficult to use birth control consistently due to its cost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) most recent reported rate of unintended pregnancies in the United States clocks in at about half of all pregnancies — suggesting that whether it’s lack of education, lack of availability of contraception or the cost of birth control, the status quo is just not cutting it.
Why Isn’t Birth Control Covered Completely?
Last September, a series of preventative services were made available without out-of-pocket costs by the patient based off of recommendations on preventative health. Services such as aspirin, depression screenings and tobacco counseling were covered under the reform, but no recommendations for women’s preventative health existed. In response, the Institute of Medicine released a report on Tuesday, July 19 that advises the government to cover birth control free of charge as a preventative health service. This may include, but is not limited to, contraception education, pregnancy planning services and contraceptives.Â
What Coverage Means
Most forms of reversible contraception — IUDs, oral contraceptives and birth control shots — are covered in part by private health insurance plans. The upcoming decision will determine not only simply whether or not these methods of contraception are covered by all health insurance plans, but will also whether or not insurers will be required to cover all costs so that patients will not be subject to out-of-pocket costs. This increases accessibility by giving women a choice: rather than having to choose the least costly method of birth control, women will have the option to select the contraceptive that is best fit for their needs.
The Controversy
Many are opposing this potential provision for two main reasons:
- Some argue that pregnancy is not a medical condition, therefore birth control does not fall under preventative services. The Institute of Medicine, however, made its recommendation because whether or not pregnancy is a medical condition in itself, it does raise health risks for women. As a result, taking measures to stop unwanted pregnancies is preventative in that it avoids future health problems.
- Providing full coverage for contraception inevitably raises the cost of health care, meaning funds will come out of taxpayer money. The Family Research Council stands in opposition to the provision, arguing that those who do not support the use of contraceptives should not be mandated to pay for it. Supporters of the provision state in rebuttal that the costs for unplanned pregnancy are much higher.
What You Can Do
Visit Planned Parenthood’s Birth Control Matters website to educate yourself on the provision, the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation and the history of contraception in the United States. The National Women’s Law Center is circulating a petition that will urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to approve the provision. Petitioning helped fight against the possibility of eliminating funding for Title X — so if this is a cause you feel strongly about, you can make a difference!
Sources:Â
http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/bc-matters/
http://action.nwlc.org/site/PageServer
http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2011/07/20/should-insurance-provide-free-bir…
http://live.washingtonpost.com/birth-control-insurance-coverage-health-c…
http://www.healthinsurancerates.com/56-birth-control-and-health-insuranc…
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-contr…
http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/unintendedpregnancy/index.htm