What do birth control pills for a month cost today? When I

[shraby]

took them in the 1960s they were about 5 bucks if I remember right..I know I couldn't have paid much more for them.

[HopeHoops]

1. Damn good question! I don't even remember what they cost in the late 70's/early 80's.

I've got three daughters and the eldest (almost 20) is close to making that decision with her boyfriend (she's open with my wife about such things). I guess I should call the insurance company and find out.

[Red State Rebel]

37. I remember paying around $7 in the mid 70's

[Redford]

2. If you get them from Planned Parenthood

they are about 27 bucks a month....I imagine they cost more from a regular pharmacy

[TheDebbieDee]

5. I think Planned Parenthood fees are on a sliding scale based

on your income.......

[shraby]

3. Anybody? I'd really like to know.

[stuntcat]

8. if you can get..

if you can get the doc. or pharmacist to give you a generic brand or whichever pill it is then it can be like $12 a month. I think some of the name-brand medicines can be about $100 a month, or more! crazy.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. You need them now?

I mean........well, ya know, um...:yoiks:

[shraby]

6. Not this one, I was just curious. At 68 I really don't think I need

them anymore.
I googled and found the cost varies as to whether you have insurance or not, whether you go to planned parenthood, and if you have no insurance it can be cheaper than the co-pay if you do. It's a real mish-mash.

[DesertFlower]

15. i'm 69. i didn't like the pill. tried

it a few times. i had an IUD. went up to the clinic at Mt. Sinai hospital and had it done for $10.00.

[moriah]

18. Any problems? I assume it was a copper one?

I'm seriously considering getting the Paragard IUD -- copper because I cannot stand chemicals, my body really doesn't like them. Yaz was the only one that didn't make me balloon up like a beached whale, just made me gain a cup size. I was already a DDD and didn't need anymore up there!

[DesertFlower]

21. it was flexible plastic and was called "the coil".

part of it was outside the cervix. it had little beads on it to let you and your doc know that it was in place. this was around 64-65. i had very heavy periods but i liked it.

i had already had a child. my friend hadn't. we went together to get them. she expelled hers that night and almost fainted on the street.

i think there much different now.

[TheCowsCameHome]

27. I was just teasing

:hi: No offense intended.

[shraby]

42. None taken.

[Ilsa]

7. It probably depends on the type of OC and how new it is.

I suspect older pill scripts are pretty cheap but newer refined dosages will cost more.

I'm not certain if all insurance companies pay for them. In the 1990's, I told my gyn that I had minor cycle pain and had felt better on OC in the past. Since the OC was treating dysmenorrhia, insurance had to cover it. I had to pay for the dr visit under my deductible, but it was cheaper that way.

[tammywammy]

11. I've never had insurance that didn't cover the pill

I had a Gyn once that wouldn't prescribe generic pills. Right now I'm on the NuvaRing, which is brand name, but I choose to remain on it versus taking a pill. My current doctor has no issue prescribing generic pills (that's what I was on before the ring).

[moriah]

14. I've had to say it was for menstural irregularities or painful periods instead of BC...

... to get it covered in the past.

[Ilsa]

26. Yeah, women couldn't get parity for decades while Viagra was covered.

I don't have a problem with Viagra being covered, especially after prostate surgery.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

34. That's what I take it for more than anything.

My periods are miserable and LOOOOOOONG if I am not on the pill.

[MountainLaurel]

9. It really depends

On the formula, whether there's a generic available, if you have insurance, etc. I can tell you that I pay about $50 for the generic of the version where you only have a chemically induced bleed every 3 months.

[Raine]

I used to get them back in the 80's- mid 90's

at a clinic. All I paid for was the pap test and breast exam. I can't remember the exact cost but well under a hundred dollars and would get 6 months of pills included in it.

[tammywammy]

10. I use the NuvaRing

I pay around $55 for a three month supply via mail order with insurance.

[moriah]

12. The ones I was on? $55 a month with insurance.

Yaz -- Healthwarehouse.com, a US-based pharmacy that requires a prescription and all, sells it for $78 a month and that's the cheapest without insurance I found it from the US. For awhile I ordered it from a Canadian pharmacy because it was $108 for three months.

Edit to add: About to be moot, I'm going for the Paragard IUD as soon as I can get an appointment. With insurance it will be $5. Yes, $5 for 10 years of birth control, with the biggest drawback being slightly heavier periods. Since I'm lucky and mine are light now I think I can handle stepping up an absorbency rating on my tampons.

[DesertFlower]

13. i think that's about how much i paid.

i think its close to $100 now.

[Motown_Johnny]

16. Nobody watched Lawrence O'Donnell's show last night?

The numbers mentioned were $98.00/month without insurance and $78.00/month with insurance




Here is the clip, worth watching for more reason than one.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42503386#42503559




The numbers on the birth control pills are at about 5:20 but I suggest watching the entire thing

[kestrel91316]

17. I quit taking them 10 years ago in large part because they were costing over $1 a day.

Well, and I was of an age unlikely to get pregnant without assistance, lol. Oh, and my very expensive medical insurance didn't cover them because of the up-front out-of-pocket and deductible of, oh, about $7k before I would see one cent of benefits paid, including meds.

45 years old and having to cadge free BCP samples from my OBGYN......pretty sad state of affairs in this country.

[PeaceNikki]

19. Sliding scale at Planned Parenthood. Full price w/them is about $35/mo

[Nikia]

20. I think that mine were $35/month at the local pharmacy

They were actually a few dollars more at Walmart pharmacy. This was 5 years ago.

[GreenEyedLefty]

22. Mine costs about $75 retail. My ins. copay is about $40.

[Lisa0825]

28. Same here. nt

[DesMoinesDem]

23. $9 a month

no insurance from walmart.

[Raine]

29. WHY does a male take BC pills? nt

[DesMoinesDem]

31. I don't. The wife does.

[Raine]

40. Duh, I should've figured that

:blush: sometimes my brain is still asleep. :spank:

By the way WELCOME to DU! :hi:

[Motown_Johnny]

30. welcome to DU, I love catching someone on their first post

but your information seems to conflict with everyone else's

can you please explain where you got that $9 a month number from?

[DesMoinesDem]

32. Thanks

I got the number from my own experience buying it, but you can find it on the Walmart website. I assume Walgreens and other pharmacies are similarly priced.

You can check drug prices at Walmart here: http://www.walmart.com/cp/PI-4-Prescriptions/1078664
The drug is called Tri-Sprintec.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

36. Welcome to DU!!

Hope you like it here! :hi:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

35. You can get some Generics from Walmart DIRT CHEAP.

I'm not sure why you are so critical of this dude, except for that he's new. :shrug:

[Ship of Fools]

24. In the 70s

I remember paying about 20 bucks, FWIW.

[Biker13]

48. Same Here.

In the 70's, I paid $21.00 a month, prescription from my ob/gyn.

Now? Menopause ROCKS!

Biker's Old Lady

[Fool Count]

25. Less than raising a kid would cost, that's for sure.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

33. I get seasonique...

...and it's $25 for a 3 month supply, which ends up being four, because I don't skip my periods.
It would be over $300 without insurance. Luckily in Oklahoma, if you're poor (like I was in college) you can go to the Health Department and get a pap smear and birth control for free.
Duckie

[ezgoingrl]

38. In the late 90's I paid about $20 bucks a month.

I didn't have insurance so I had to pay out of pocket for the exam. But, no babies! My son was about 3 at the time. Once when I went to the pharmacy to pick up my script, my son says in a very loud voice, "Why are you getting pills? You're NOT SICK!" About 15 people got a great laugh that day.

[tnlefty]

39. Why is viagra covered when female contraception isn't?

just asking. :shrug:

[SoCalDem]

41. men are mostly making the rules?

:)

[Jack Sprat]

46. True. Insanity. Total insanity. We truly live in

a nation of fools. I see why people just freak out and go nutty sometimes. It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world.

[Sgent]

50. The quick answer

is that Viagra is prescribed for a disease state (diabetes, prostate ca, low testosterone, etc.) -- BC prescribed for the same reason is also covered.

BC for birth control is not covered because its not treating a disease.

Not saying I agree, but that's the reasoning.

[tnlefty]

51. So, diseased older men should have Viagra, but women in

their reproductive years shouldn't have birth control covered. The older I get the less this stupid shit makes any sense.

[Jack Sprat]

43. If the Right was really concerned about

abortions, then they would be volunteering to pay for birth control pills wouldn't they? I had no idea they cost so much. They should be free, and condoms should be free. Like so many other things in these times, this is insanity.

[a la izquierda]

44. $15 with my "insurance"

[Dappleganger]

45. With insurance, 10 bucks for a 3-month supply.

There's no reason on earth why these things shouldn't be subsidized for everybody who needs. No reason at all.

[cags]

47. $68 bucks a month. My insurance doesn't cover it. I take Lybrel

[Zorra]

49. I pay $32 for a months supply from overseas mail order pharmacy. nt