Insurance coverage for birth control methods depends on a lot of things, but if you're lucky enough to live in one of the states with mandatory BC coverage, your insurance should cover it.
The states with such laws are: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Washington.
Some insurance companies provide better coverage for some brands over others. For example, mine treats Ortho products as generics, Yasmin is a reduced-cost brand name and (unfortuntely for me) seasonale is considered a full-cost brand name, though i do save $9 a pack with my prescription plan.
your insurance company is required to provide their prescription formulary to you. Many have that information online. Try calling your insurance provider or visiting their website and find out which pills are covered more thoroughly than others.
Also, if you find that it's not covered by your insurance, you have the option of getting your pills from Planned Parenthood, where they charge on a sliding scale based on need.
Call your insurance provider. In some states, if your insurance won't cover the family planning method you want, then it is free or at a reduced cost depending on your income. YOu have to go to the family planning clinics that are funded by the state that you live in. I get all my depo shots and pap smears for free because i am a full time student. Call the local health department. Have you tried the depo provera?
My ins. covers bc, but if it didn't, my total cost would be $25 a month. I was on depo after my first daughter, and oh my god did I HATE it. I was shaky, sweaty, and always felt light headed. I only had one shot of it! And I didn't get my period back for almost a year after that. It came back very irregular, and made me swear that I would never try any sort of bc (except condoms). Well my periods are still so irregular, after 5 years, that I finally broke down and am on the pill. That is just my experience with depo, thought I'd share
I know my insurance covers all forms of prescription birth control. Definitely check your coverages to find out for sure. Or, it may be enough savings to consider purchasing a small prescription coverage on your own and purchase through them (mail order is great, you can sometimes get 3 months worth for the price of one). The other posters had some good suggestions, but I can add one more thought. If your employer offers flexible spending accounts, it can be a HUGE help in closing the gap between your income and what your insurance doesn't cover. So even if you shelve the idea for now, you can always revisit your birth control needs in a few months and set aside the money for next year when your benefits enrollment comes up later.
~ Laura
The states with such laws are: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Washington.
Some insurance companies provide better coverage for some brands over others. For example, mine treats Ortho products as generics, Yasmin is a reduced-cost brand name and (unfortuntely for me) seasonale is considered a full-cost brand name, though i do save $9 a pack with my prescription plan.
your insurance company is required to provide their prescription formulary to you. Many have that information online. Try calling your insurance provider or visiting their website and find out which pills are covered more thoroughly than others.
Also, if you find that it's not covered by your insurance, you have the option of getting your pills from Planned Parenthood, where they charge on a sliding scale based on need.
Jaime
I know my insurance covers all forms of prescription birth control. Definitely check your coverages to find out for sure. Or, it may be enough savings to consider purchasing a small prescription coverage on your own and purchase through them (mail order is great, you can sometimes get 3 months worth for the price of one). The other posters had some good suggestions, but I can add one more thought. If your employer offers flexible spending accounts, it can be a HUGE help in closing the gap between your income and what your insurance doesn't cover. So even if you shelve the idea for now, you can always revisit your birth control needs in a few months and set aside the money for next year when your benefits enrollment comes up later.
Hope this helps!
Ivy