How Much Does Birth Control Cost?

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Simple enough. Why does everyone complaining about cost not just practice the last one? It's free, but I guess the last one would require people to stop being selfish and put the welfare of a child or potential child ahead of their own personal pleasure.

Zac of ME 10:28PM January 02, 2013

Everyone keeps saying "yeah well it's cheaper than raising a child" I suppose that is true. But what happens when you're in a situation like me, I already have one child and don't wish to have anymore anytime soon. How will I afford to care for a child while paying to prevent anymore? That is bull****.

Amanda of IA 6:47PM October 22, 2012

I don't understand why everyone's complaining about high cost of contraception. Isn't it about the cost of coffee? Anyone's complaining about cost of coffee at $3 x 2 per day = $120 per month? Should insurance companies cover that too?

Inn of CA 1:29AM October 19, 2012

I just paid over $80 for a refill on my ortho evra patches, and the pharmacy tech told me my insurance covered $9 of it. This means a month of patches now cost more than $90.
When I initially began using ortho evra my co-pay was about $20. That was in 2005. The price continued to climb annually till hitting close to $60 and now it seems as if the price is climbing almost monthly.
What's going on? My insurance plan has remained the same and continues to only pay a small amt of the cost but $9 is actually the largest amt it's ever paid for my birth control.
Are these large increases happening with the other birth controls as well?
Oh and the reason I haven't switched methods is that the patch is the only one I have success with. Got pregnant on the pill, the depo made me insane and a friend got an infection in cervix from mirena so I'm scared of it.

Laura of TN 4:41PM February 09, 2012

I used to pay $18 for the patch now they are charging me $70 a pack thats a total of $ 840.00 per year not including the exams they make every 3 months :/ a lot of institutions talk about preventing teen pregnancy but with this high prices ???

stephanie of NJ 9:51AM March 26, 2011

@David-
Withdrawal is not a reliable form of birth control. Furthermore, it's downright disgusting that you would even begin to think that having sex without a condom is acceptable. Save me the garbage of "BUT CONDOMS DON'T FEEL GOOD!" You know what else doesn't feel good? Herpes. Gonorrhea. HIV. Spawning a child you can't take care of. I'm shocked and appalled that any woman would agree to have sex with you based on your promise of "I'll pull out, I've never had a problem before!" To each their own.
But continue with your ignorant ravings of an obviously well-qualified individual. You simply MUST know what you're talking about because you quoted "statistics." Nothing I can say will change your mind, so I'll save my energy and devote it elsewhere.

Grossed-Out of GA 11:03AM September 07, 2010

@ Actually - Where do you live that IUD's are that cheap? They have increased in price (Mirena) each time I have had one put in. The first one was $350 in 2002, the second one was $550 in 2007, and I have heard that they are now charging $750 for a Mirena. This is why the rate of use has dropped... which is sad because it really is a reliable, cost-effective 5 year method of birth control. I have never priced the Paraguard (copper "T") IUD which is effective for 10 years.
As a Nurse Practitioner, the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs really annoys me. I try to educate the patients I care for how to prevent illness, and to take better care of themselves, if they aren't doing so already. I also try to give out as many samples as I can to help patients out with the cost factor.
I work in primary care, so I do not insert IUD's.... but when I prescribe birth control pills (or any medication for that matter) I ask about the patient's financial situation. No point in writing for a medication they can't afford to buy. I try to always start with the $4 formularies if money is tight, and utilize 90 day scripts, mail order, and generics when possible. But birth control pills are way too expensive. Sprintec can be bought for $9/month, but many women have breakthrough bleeding and stop taking it if they can't afford a more expensive oral contraceptive. I refer to planned parenthood when the situation is appropriate as well. They charge based on your income, similar to State Health Departments.
@ OMFG - Why are you so angry about this article? Geesh, calm down. I have a Master's Degree in Nursing, and have never learned that coitus interruptus was a very effective method of birth control since pre-ejaculate contains sperm too. And your theory of urinating between ejaculations wouldn't work because the male body, in response to sexual stimulation and the development of an erection, would generate semen AFTER you urinated prior to sex. This article was a comparison of the various methods of birth control, not some anti-sex propaganda.

FNP-BC of TX 10:07AM September 07, 2010

Wow. Engage in propaganda much, USNews?
If you want to go by your system of measurement, then the withdrawal method (conspicuously absent, given that it's the most common form of birth control today and throughout all of history) has an efficiency rate between 99 and 100% (it would be a perfect 100% across the board if men knew that sperm in the urethra should be flushed by urination between ejaculations.) Oh yeah, it's every bit as free as abstinence too!
And don't EVEN give me that whole, "Withdrawal method doesn't work in day-to-day reality" spiel! Every single form of contraception has two statistics for effectiveness: failure under ideal circumstances (i.e. used as directed), and failure rate given how frequently people misuse it. Condoms are 99.9% effective when used as directed, but only 80% or so in real life because people don't know how to use them properly (probably because of abstinence only education.) So yeah... withdrawal has a real-life effectiveness of somewhere in the area of 65%. But abstinence has a failure rate EVEN HIGHER! It's is somewhere around 52%, if I remember right. "Oh, but that's not a failure of the method, it's a failure of the people! The method is perfect!" Yeah, and the exact same can be said for nearly all the other contraceptives on your list; it's only an anti-sex mindset that makes a distinction.
God, sex-education in the U.S. is deplorable, and articles like this only make it worse.

David of NV 3:16AM September 07, 2010

like having a baby is any cheaper i think not

wabbit of OH 2:23AM September 07, 2010

MissDisplaced not true. Income is NO reason for having babies and not being on birth control. EVERY state within the US has a planned parenthood or family planning program, usually at the local health department, that provides services based on income, usually free birth control, and at most $2-3 per visit. And, you only have to go twice per year. Welfare babies are made because of ignorance, not lack of options!

Misty of SC 1:55AM September 07, 2010