The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced its support last month for selling oral contraceptives over the counter without a prescription. Women can buy the morning-after pill over the counter without a prescription, but require a prescription for oral contraceptives.
While we are a long way away from making this happen because of politics and perhaps the drug lobby, if contraceptives do become OTC, the cost of birth control for women will go up.
Imagine that; after fighting to have contraceptives covered under health insurance as a “free” health care item, should they become an OTC medication they will not be covered by prescription drug health benefits, but presumably will be cheaper to purchase.
Of course women will be eligible to seek reimbursement for the cost of the pill through their Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA). But wait, effective January 2011 OTC medication requires a prescription to be eligible for reimbursement through a FSA or HSA. That likely means at least one office visit.
No doubt some advocates will argue that contraceptives should remain prescripton only so they remain affordable, er, free (but adding cost for everyone paying premiums).
Oh my, easy access, “free,” not free, reducing federal revenue loss by changing the tax code. I guess this is a war on ……….. common sense.
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It would surprise me to see birth control moved over the counter. I would expect that our government will want to ensure low cost access to contraception to always remain – the savings on down stream entitlements are just too big.
Seventy percent of group health plans do not cover dependent pregnancies. These pregnancies are covered by Medicaid, which funds forty percent of all pregnancies. Single mothers make up ninety percent of Welfare recipients.
Our government may not be able to control its own spending, but it appears to have found a way to stem the flow of new entrants into entitlement programs – free contraception paid for by private insurers.
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Interesting perspective and I suspect not far from the truth.
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