Sexual health experts are decrying a potential quintupling of birth control pill costs for college students after Congress this year repealed a discount that had been in effect since 2005.
Although the change would not affect Boston University — BU offers students prescriptions for the pill but not the pill itself — other schools in the area may hit sexually active students where it hurts most: their wallets. Duke University, James Madison University and Northwestern University are some of the schools that will be affected.
The change, attached to legislation meant to trim the federal budget deficit, could disrupt some of the 3 million women – about 39 percent of undergraduate females – currently using oral contraceptives, said Mary Hoban, program director of the American College Health Association.
Without the discount, students may be paying $50 a month for birth control pills, about 10 times the $5 rate some students are paying now, she said.
Hoban criticized the change, predicting it could negatively affect students’ health by forcing them to switch to less-familiar methods such as the Nuva ring or birth-control patches and shots.
Though she predicted many students would switch to generic brand birth control pills, Hoban said even the cheapest drugs would cost students more.
“People are quick to say they are cheaper, but they are not cheaper than the drastically reduced prices that the manufacturer was offering on their brand name products before,” Hoban said.
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts spokeswoman Leilani Bowie said the increase could push students to use condoms or other forms of birth control.
“This may cause some students to think, you know, ‘hey, maybe the pill isn’t the best for me,’ and that it could be cheaper for someone in the long run to try the patch or the shot,” Bowie said. “But, if anything, this is a good education opportunity for students.”
Student Health Services director David McBride said BU offers students prescriptions to buy pills at local pharmacies but declines to provide the pill directly.
“The price change has no effect,” he said.