2008 Woodie Awards
Students on the pill cope with price hike
UH Health Center staff recommends generic brands of birth control
By Tiffany Nguyen
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News
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UH Health Center staff said they are trying their best to accommodate patients, but students are worried about how they are going to afford birth control since prices more than tripled in June.
Concerns among students, who weren't at the University during the summer, are especially high because they were unaware of the price hike to $35 from $10.
"Students want to know why. They want explanations," Chief Pharmacist Kizzy Steward-Judie said. "I tell them that it's through no choice of our own; it's through government legislation that stopped the purchase of birth control at nominal prices - that's what allowed us to sell it at the low costs in the past."
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 mandated health centers to purchase birth control at market price instead of at a discounted price, according to the White House's Web site.
The purpose of the act was to reduce the spending growth of Medicare and Medicaid programs by cutting taxes. Once taxes were cut, pharmaceutical companies could no longer offer discounted prices to colleges, according to the White House's Web site.
Though the price increase was effective in January, the Health Center had ordered extra supplies while they were still at discounted prices and continued offering them to students. When those supplies ran out, the new prices went into effect during June, Chief Nurse Laura Moore said in a previous interview with The Daily Cougar.
"It prohibits us from being able to obtain birth control pills from companies at discounted prices. In turn, we have to pay a higher price, and of course, pass that on to the students," Steward-Judie said.
The act reduces the Health Center's ability to help students because people will not be able to afford birth control, Natashia Comeaux, human development and family studies senior, said.
Generics are available at the Health Center as alternatives to the name brand contraceptives and many students have opted to purchase those instead.
Concerns among students, who weren't at the University during the summer, are especially high because they were unaware of the price hike to $35 from $10.
"Students want to know why. They want explanations," Chief Pharmacist Kizzy Steward-Judie said. "I tell them that it's through no choice of our own; it's through government legislation that stopped the purchase of birth control at nominal prices - that's what allowed us to sell it at the low costs in the past."
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 mandated health centers to purchase birth control at market price instead of at a discounted price, according to the White House's Web site.
The purpose of the act was to reduce the spending growth of Medicare and Medicaid programs by cutting taxes. Once taxes were cut, pharmaceutical companies could no longer offer discounted prices to colleges, according to the White House's Web site.
Though the price increase was effective in January, the Health Center had ordered extra supplies while they were still at discounted prices and continued offering them to students. When those supplies ran out, the new prices went into effect during June, Chief Nurse Laura Moore said in a previous interview with The Daily Cougar.
"It prohibits us from being able to obtain birth control pills from companies at discounted prices. In turn, we have to pay a higher price, and of course, pass that on to the students," Steward-Judie said.
The act reduces the Health Center's ability to help students because people will not be able to afford birth control, Natashia Comeaux, human development and family studies senior, said.
Generics are available at the Health Center as alternatives to the name brand contraceptives and many students have opted to purchase those instead.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 12
David Johnson
posted 10/10/07 @ 7:50 AM CST
How dare the federal government expect supposedly mature adults to pay actual cost for taking a prescription that is not medically necessary. If you choose to be sexually active, you should expect to pay for contraception. (Continued…)
Amanda Berry
posted 10/10/07 @ 9:19 AM CST
Well I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this David, but some women, myself included, have to take birth control pills because it is the only things that keeps us from developing cysts and/or tumors on our ovaries. (Continued…)
L A Bailey
posted 10/10/07 @ 12:20 PM CST
Hey David,
I'll send your message to my husband, he'll be thrilled with the idea of not being sexually active.
steve
posted 10/10/07 @ 8:56 PM CST
I agree with David's line of thought.
Just because you are in college doesn't mean the gov has to support your habits.
Sex isn't a disease you need medication for!
If you aren't responsible enough to accept the gifts attached to it then you shouldn't be doing it. (Continued…)
Amanda Berry
posted 10/11/07 @ 1:54 AM CST
Do either of you realize that it's going to cost the government MORE, ALOT MORE, to support all of the "gifts" that the student population can't afford to support when compared to the actual price of birth control pills? Again, I'd also like to point out (as I mentioned earlier) that some women take birth control pills for medical reasons not related to pregnancy prevention. (Continued…)
Mule
posted 10/11/07 @ 4:59 AM CST
The government isn't going to continue to subsidize 'relations'!? Sexual activity is like many other things in life; if you cannot afford all possible consequences of it, you probably shouldn't be engaging in it. (Continued…)
Sarah
posted 10/11/07 @ 8:20 AM CST
Wow! Republicans seem to have the worst sex lives on the planet! Are we a little bitter that other people are having great sex and you guys aren't? Nobody's going to stop having sex, and birth control pills make sure that women don't have babies. (Continued…)
a. juice
posted 10/11/07 @ 9:50 PM CST
I guess my horny boyfriend and I will just have to go back to "pulling out" and praying I don't get pregnant.
tova
posted 10/14/07 @ 10:40 AM CST
so students are being punished for doing the smart thing?
AreaResident
posted 10/15/07 @ 5:55 AM CST
Nah, nobody is being 'punished', but rather are left to deal with the consequences of economics. This sort of thing happens quite frequently in life. You'll have to use that big college brain to find alternatives and formulate an alternative course of action. (Continued…)
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