Birth control woes: the price is higher at American universities
So CNN reports that the price of birth control at college—even generic birth control—will double or triple in the next few months, as a Medicaid incentive program ends and contraceptive manufacturers lose the incentive to offer the Pill on the cheap. The overall price of maintaining a contraceptive regimen could be an additional few hundred dollars for the average college chica.
No fan of safety nets myself, I can’t chastize the government for taking cost-cutting measures—when appropriate. Yet I can’t see how this is going to save taxpayers money in the long run. So now women who can’t afford foolproof contraceptives are just supposed to “manage”? While I’m sure many of us will get along just fine, there’s just that much more risk for someone to slip through the cracks, experience an unwanted pregnancy, and then raise a child without the benefit of a college education to help pay the bills. Isn’t that more of a drain on our economy than $8-a-month Yasmine or Seasonale?
What do you think?
(Oh, and PS, this is definitely happening at Penn. Last time I checked, generic birth control was about 6 simoleons more expensive than last years’ offerings. While that’s chump change to many Penn students, that cost per month isn’t trivial to many other Penn kids.)
ETA: Feministing has a write up of the rise in birth control costs—check it out, the debates are always interesting to observe.
Also, Feministing reports that Republican Senator Daniel Patrick of Texas is offering $500 for women to give up their babies for adoption instead of aborting them. $500 is the price tag that this man would put on the arduous, thankless task of pregnancy and childbirth? I guess according to Patrick that women’s bodies are for sale—and that our price is veritably worthless. A sickening move from the party of “moral values.”
Comments
Commenting is closed for this article.
Shane, Mar 26, 12:07:
The party is sick, they are not Pro life, they are just pro birth. Really after that its who cares what happens to ya in life…
Isil, Mar 31, 14:35:
500?!? Woah! Twins for 1000 or 750??