n Birth-control prices on college campuses have increased by 100 percent because of the pharmaceutical industry’s response to actions undertaken by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“Birth control costs soon to skyrocket,” Mar. 30, p.5). No matter who is at fault, CMS or the pharmaceutical industry and the health-insurance industry — both private and public — should take note.

Preventing pregnancies is far cheaper than the medical costs associated with unintended pregnancies. Recently published research shows that the direct medical costs of unintended pregnancies in the United States were estimated to be $5 billion per year, while direct medical-cost savings because of contraceptive use were estimated to be $19 billion, according to an article in Contraception: An International Reproductive Health Journal in March 2007.

Both Medicaid and the private-health insurance industry are likely to spend significantly more for unintended pregnancies than they would have spent on contraceptive coverage. An ounce of prevention, indeed.

Wayne C. Shields

President and CEO

Association of Reproductive Health

Professionals