How and Where to Get Birth Control
You’ve got lots of birth control options, and they’re excellent at preventing pregnancies when you use them the right way. Here’s how to get them, and what to do if costs get in the way.
Do I Need a Prescription for Birth Control?
It depends on the type of birth control you want to get.
You need to get a prescription for these options:
You need a doctor’s help to start using these types of prescription birth control:
How Can I Get Birth Control Without a Doctor?
You can get some types of birth control over the counter without a doctor’s prescription, like these:
Some states and the District of Columbia also have laws that allow pharmacists to prescribe certain types of birth control.
How Can I Get Birth Control Online?
You can use a telehealth service website or app to buy birth control pills online. Some of these services also offer the patch or ring. You can choose from different brand-name and generic versions of contraceptives.
In general, you start by creating an account and filling out a form that asks questions about your health history and recent blood pressure. A doctor then reviews your answers. Depending on where you live, you may need to have a video consultation with them, too. This usually costs extra.
With the doctor’s OK, you can get a prescription for birth control sent to your home or your local pharmacy.
How Old Do I Have to Be to Get Birth Control?
It depends on where you live. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia allow people younger than 18 to get birth control.
Another 23 states let children and teens get birth control only for certain reasons. Depending on the state, some of the exceptions for minors are:
Four states don’t have a clear policy on whether people younger than 18 can get birth control.
How Can I Get Birth Control for Free?
If you have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, your plan covers FDA-approved types of prescription birth control for women.
If you get your insurance through work, your plan might cover birth control, too. If it doesn’t, you can ask your human resources department if you can get it straight from the insurance company they work with.
If your income is low, you don’t have health insurance, or you have a plan that doesn’t cover birth control costs, you still have options. You can try:
Your city or county health department. You can call them to find out if they offer lower-cost birth control options based on your income. If they do, they may ask you for proof of income, like a paycheck stub, W2 form, or unemployment paperwork. Some health departments offer free condoms and other types of birth control to teens.
Family planning (or reproductive health) clinics. Call your local clinic and ask if they provide reduced-cost or free birth control. You can find a nearby clinic online with the “Find a Health Center” tool offered by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Data Warehouse.
Payment assistance programs. Some companies that make birth control products -- including pills, shots, IUDs, and other options -- have programs that cover some or all of your costs if they decide you’re eligible. You can ask your doctor’s office to help you find out. Or you can look up the company that makes your birth control of choice online and see if they have a program.
Drugstores. Some of the big chains offer discount programs for medicines, including birth control pills. They might also offer free consultations with a pharmacist, who can help you find low-cost birth control meds. And if you go to an independent pharmacy, they might be willing to work with you on cost, too. What’s more, some states and the District of Columbia let pharmacists prescribe DIY types of hormonal birth control -- like the pill, patch, and ring -- which could save a trip to the doctor’s office.
Planned Parenthood. This nonprofit organization has been around for more than 100 years. You can call your local Planned Parenthood center to find out if they’ll lower the cost of birth control pills for you based on your income.
College health center. If you’re a college student, your campus health center might offer condoms for free or at a reduced price. You can ask if they provide other types of birth control for free or at reduced cost, or refer you to a clinic that does.
Telemedicine apps or sites. Some of these offer low-cost video appointments with a doctor or nurse who can write you a prescription for the pill and send it to your pharmacy. They might also offer the pill at prices that fit your budget.
Posted : 2023-12-07 16:06
Read more
- UCB Presents Encouraging Data on Bepranemab in Early Alzheimer’s Disease in Phase 2a Study at CTAD 2024
- Standing More During the Day Does Not Cut Cardiovascular Risk
- Toddler Diet Quality Improved Significantly From 1999 to 2018
- Election Fears Are Compromising the Sleep Health of Americans
- Nitrofurantoin, Cranberry Products May Cut UTI Episodes in Children
- Change in Alzheimer's Drug Vial Size Could Be Big Money-Saver for Medicare
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.
The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Popular Keywords
- metformin obat apa
- alahan panjang
- glimepiride obat apa
- takikardia adalah
- erau ernie
- pradiabetes
- besar88
- atrofi adalah
- kutu anjing
- trakeostomi
- mayzent pi
- enbrel auto injector not working
- enbrel interactions
- lenvima life expectancy
- leqvio pi
- what is lenvima
- lenvima pi
- empagliflozin-linagliptin
- encourage foundation for enbrel
- qulipta drug interactions