Birth Control w/ Health Insurance

[maiandra 0]

Hello Everyone,

so last week I had my first OBGYN appointment to get a new prescription for birth control (I had brought a 1 year supply from my home country, which now runs out). I used Yasminelle in Germany, in the US known as YAZ. The doctor asked me if I wanted to continue using this product, I told her yes. When I went to the pharmacy to pick up my prescription they gave me not the YAZ, but a generic called Gianvi. I payed 120 Dollars for a 3 months worth of birth control. NUTS! In my homecountry I would have paid 120 Euros for 1 year, that is about 150 Dollars. Why is birth control here so much more expensive? I do have health insurance, I am with United Healthcare. I asked the pharmacist how much it would be without insurance, he said it would be over 200 Dollars.

I am just shocked about the prices here. Plus, why do they give generics here? How much more expensive are the brands then?

Are there any cheaper ways of birth control?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

depends on the type of birth control you get...

The pill shouldn't be that expensive for you.. Depo (which I wouldn't recommend) shouldn't be that bad either.

Just depends on the percentage which your insurance covers.

Drugs aren't subsidized here either (not sure if they are in Germany) so that plays a role into it as well.

All in all though, when you think of it as in terms of just a little over $1 a day not to get pregnant... It's pretty cheap still.

[Jewel-8 21]

Are there any cheaper ways of birth control?

Planned Parenthood is the cheapest option for me now that they took away the discounts available at student health clinic.

I still am having a hard time paying that and Nuvaring was giving me problems, so I am looking into NFP and FAM methods.. I can't commit to those quite yet because it seems so weird and hippish. I don't know many that practice those so it's hard to get a good idea of whether or not they work.

[Tick Tock 3]

You could like into getting an IUD (intrauterine device). There's 2 types: one with progestogen, and one without.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrauterine_device

I'm not sure if this would be any more expensive; I suppose it would depend on your plan. If you do look into an IUD, some brands offer payment plans and perhaps discounts so it would be worth calling them up, as well as your health insurance provider.

IUDs sometimes don't work out for women; they can be tricky to insert depending on a woman's anatomy. Paragard (copper) and Mirena (progestogen) are the 2 available in the States.

[Laveau 67]

BC pills are expensive under my health ins plan (Blue Cross), too - about $40 per pack of Loestrin-24 Fe. I was on Yasmin (sp?) two years ago. I cannot remember if it was the generic but the price was about the same as I pay now. You are not alone.

You could like into getting an IUD (intrauterine device). There's 2 types: one with progestogen, and one without.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrauterine_device

I'm not sure if this would be any more expensive; I suppose it would depend on your plan. If you do look into an IUD, some brands offer payment plans and perhaps discounts so it would be worth calling them up, as well as your health insurance provider.

IUDs sometimes don't work out for women; they can be tricky to insert depending on a woman's anatomy. Paragard (copper) and Mirena (progestogen) are the 2 available in the States.

One of my best friends got an IUD about two years ago. She loves it.

[sachinky 464]

I got a prescription for 1 year from Planned Parenthood for $28.

I pick up my birthcontrol from Walmart for $9 a month.

[Laveau 67]

I got a prescription for 1 year from Planned Parenthood for $28.

I pick up my birthcontrol from Walmart for $9 a month.

What brand? Also, did you have to give household income information? Is the price you pay based on household salary?

[Laveau 67]

I'm so glad I came across this thread. Just googled my bc pill brand for the heck of it and found this: http://www.altsampling.com/loestrinactivate/ProgramBenefits.aspx

[DanielParul 50]

After the baby, I took loestrin for 10 days and gained 7 lbs. I opted out and went for IUD (without hormones) Paragard. Its worked perfect for me. I am just totally against pills and anything with hormones. It cost $494.00 and my insurance paid for it. Its peace of mind for 5 years now.

[Laveau 67]

After the baby, I took loestrin for 10 days and gained 7 lbs. I opted out and went for IUD (without hormones) Paragard. Its worked perfect for me. I am just totally against pills and anything with hormones. It cost $494.00 and my insurance paid for it. Its peace of mind for 5 years now.

Yeah I put on about 12 pounds over the past two years but I never thought to attribute that to Loestrin. Now you got me thinking...

[sachinky 464]

What brand? Also, did you have to give household income information? Is the price you pay based on household salary?

I use Tri-Sprintec. It's a generic brand of Ortho-Tricyclene.

Yes and yes.

I was covered by my student health insurance while I was in college earlier.

After the baby, I took loestrin for 10 days and gained 7 lbs. I opted out and went for IUD (without hormones) Paragard. Its worked perfect for me. I am just totally against pills and anything with hormones. It cost $494.00 and my insurance paid for it. Its peace of mind for 5 years now.

I also eventually plan to get a non-hormonal IUD as well.

Edited June 24, 2010 by sachinky

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I have the Implanon rod in my arm. I had it done in Australia for $20. Dread to think what it costs here. The depo shot wasn't too bad but 1 1/2 months in it starts wearing off... not effective enough in my opinion. The rod lasts 3 years, less invasive to remove than an IUD and given my mother had her IUD "grow over" when she had one and thus had to have it removed, I'm not risking something like that lest there be a genetic similarity that causes me to have the same reaction.

I've not had any bad reactions to the rod, no bleeding issues either. Honestly and without judgment, I don't know why anyone would have something inserted into their "nether regions" when they can have a rod placed in their arm much easier and much less invasive (you can't see it either, but you can feel it). Removal is easy as well. Though I assume price would be a factor and I don't know the price difference here. Still **shudder** to intrauterine device :S

Edited June 24, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[sachinky 464]

####### is a rod in the arm? Do tell, I'm intrigued. I'm not quite on board with the idea of stuffing anything in my va-jay-jay either.

Edited June 25, 2010 by sachinky

[Marilyn. 340]

I paid about 20 bucks for a 3 month supply of Lutera (generic form of Alesse) this was through the United Health care mail order prescription plan..

it would of cost me about 60 bucks for 3 months if I would have bought it at the pharmacy

[VanessaTony 3,567]

####### is a rod in the arm? Do tell, I'm intrigued. I'm not quite on board with the idea of stuffing anything in my va-jay-jay either.

http://www.implanon-usa.com/Consumer/index.asp?C=7727140354096724537

There you go, the American site on it. To get personal I've had 2 menstrual "cycles" since July 09 (if you want to call them cycles). They were like the last day of menstruation and lasted a day and I didn't have severe back pain like I normally do. I've had no hormonal issues. The rod doesn't hurt and honestly I forget its there sometimes (it was a bit tender the first couple of days.. but barely).

The rod is said to have a 0.01% fail rate where sterilization is 0.02% fail rate.. I like those odds. Having it removed you go back to normal very quickly and to remove it it's a small cut where the rod is, they grab it with tweezers and TA-DA! I like it and I recommend it.

I will warn you though that SOME girls have a bad reaction and bleed continuously. For that reason I had the Depo shot first (same type of hormones) to see how my body reacted. I reacted fine but it wore off around the 1 1/2-2 month mark and that's not permanent enough for me.