As part of the healthcare overhaul, a group of experts will begin meeting today to advise the federal government on whether health insurance should have to cover contraceptives, everything from condoms to IUDs.
Ninety percent of employee insurance plans already cover birth control and it’s obvious why: research shows that paying for contraception saves taxpayers $3.74 for every $1 invested. It turns out the Pill is way cheaper to society than a baby a mom can’t afford. As the president of Planned Parenthood told me earlier this year, “Family planning is the smartest investment the federal government can make, so I think <a href="http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/lets-talk-about-sex/Content?oid=2178071
“>they should just be dropping it out of airplanes and it should be free for every woman.”
Oregon has pretty kickass coverage birth control coverage. The federal government has a special Medicaid program that matches state contributions to family planning, but the way it’s administered state-by-state varies. I’ve acquired birth control in four states and personally found Oregon to be the best (an expert agrees!) for a couple reasons: there’s a lot of clinics (and a birth-control-by-mail system for rural folks), plus the federal program covers 90 percent of birth control costs for low-income Oregon residents who have proof of citizenship. With birth control costing $10-50 a month, federal or private health insurance subsidies makes the different between a planned pregnancy and accidental babymakin’.
Oregon really does have amazing birth control coverage. I was laid off in June & lost my health insurance so my BC went from $5 to $40/month. Thanks to DHS and Planned Parenthood I now have 12 months of the Pill and one annual exam for FREE (they ask for a donation so it’s pay what you can, if you can). They’ve saved me a ton of money and it was really easy. You just have to prove you’re a citizen and you’re broke. They screen you before you go in to make sure you meet the qualifications.
And can I just say that the new Planned Parenthood office on MLK is AMAZING?!? Plus everyone I’ve ever met who works there is wonderful.
Horray for no babies!
Oregon has good coverage, but that doesn’t mean everyone is taking advantage of it. Why can’t they just hand out pills on the MAX or something? Put a candy dish full of Tricyclen at the DMV? Slip some into those Val-Pak mailers?
My insurance doesn’t even offer it. Nada. No “pay extra for the special plan” or anything — just “NO CONTRACEPTIVES WILL BE COVERED”. Of course, I spend $500 a year on them, and my insurance covers my one other annual trip for a checkup. I pay in $2300 a year, pay another $500 out of pocket, and get probably $300 in services. $700? How much should an annual exam cost anyway? I don’t know. Anyway, covered BC would be fucking decent.
Planned Parenthood is great, and the Portland clinics are especially wonderful. I live near the MLK location, and I am seriously bummed out about how often there are wackos outside of it, harassing women trying to get health care. Planned Parenthood saves lives every day by providing annual exams, pap smears and other wellness services to people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford care.
Now this C-Care program through the state will also back up other insurance if your main insurance doesn’t cover everything! It is so easy. Only for citizens, though, which is super lame. Non-citizens can still get birth control for free or cheap from another federal program at Planned Parenthood, but it’s not at every clinic.