Michelle Malkin » Planned Parenthood demands cheaper birth control for all

Planned Parenthood demands cheaper birth control for all

By Michelle Malkin • January 29, 2008 08:33 AM

Give me a Boo-Freaking-Hoo this morning for the poor college students and their Planned Parenthood pill peddlers who are crying to the government that they can’t afford $25 monthly contraception bills. America is, like, so unfair:

Cal Poly’s Health and Counseling Services has seen the cost of contraceptives triple in recent months, according to center Director Martin Bragg.

The higher cost, he said, is the result of 2005 federal legislation that barred university health clinics from access to lower-priced drugs.

And while the local Planned Parenthood organization has kept rates the same for its clients paying for birth control, the organization must raise money to cover rising costs to buy the drugs from suppliers, according to its spokeswoman.

Bragg said “thousands” of Cal Poly students seek birth control from the university’s health services center. He said he didn’t have specific numbers, but he estimates a month’s supply of birth control pills now costs Cal Poly students about $25.

That amount isn’t as much as the monthly supply of $40 to $50 for pills in other parts of the country, but it’s more than the $5 to $10 per month that once was standard.

“Students are feeling the increased costs,” he said.

Officials at Planned Parenthood say the higher prices are putting birth control out of reach for many financially strapped students, and they want Congress to make the issue a priority.

Guess who’s ready to help?

In Washington, Planned Parenthood has found a sympathetic ear in Democratic Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and and Claire McCaskill of Missouri. They’ve teamed up on a bill that would reverse the 2005 provision, hoping to bring back discounted prices to college campuses.

A similar bill is pending in the House of Representatives…

…Bragg said he favors congressional intervention in reducing the cost of contraceptives to college students.

“When you look at the data of the termination of pregnancies, this is money well spent,” he said. “The cost of terminating pregnancies or the cost of an unwanted child to society is much higher.”

Here’s a prescription: How about trying self-restraint? It’s free.

***
Commenter ctmom: “Add it to the stimulation package!”

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Posted in: Abortion,Education

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#201

On January 30th, 2008 at 11:07 pm, fourstringfuror said:

Very well. Varilux it is.
#202

On January 30th, 2008 at 11:25 pm, dedalus said:

That’s like saying alcoholics are going to drink anyway, so we may as well buy them that six pack.

It’s more like subsidizing a cab home. One could argue that the drunks should wreck their own cars but, then, there are others on the road, as there are other lives affected when a child is created.
#203

On January 30th, 2008 at 11:32 pm, fourstringfuror said:

Are you arguing that society at large should pay for cab rides?
#204

On January 31st, 2008 at 12:06 am, dedalus said:

Are you arguing that society at large should pay for cab rides?

No, but it seems possible that subsidizing cab rides for drunks might be more cost-effective than dealing with the aftermath of their destruction.

My immediate point was that buying beer for drunks was not analogous to giving birth control to horny college students. It would, instead, be analogous to Government-subsidized hookers, which I’m also against.
#205

On January 31st, 2008 at 12:17 am, fourstringfuror said:

I’m glad you made that clear. LOL
#206

On January 31st, 2008 at 12:47 am, fourstringfuror said:

Get your comments in while you can – one more blog post and this one’s in the archives!
#207

On January 31st, 2008 at 9:20 am, Eclectic said:

On January 29th, 2008 at 8:59 am, Artbyruth said:

I am convinced these birth control pills make women sterile. I wish I could prove it, but I do not have the time to do the research. If I did, it would probably be a good disertation, but I doubt any Liberal university would accept it.

My husband’s a med student and he has said being on the pill for too long does in fact make it harder to have children. A year is fine, but after that it can start messing things up for being able to get pregnant. I can’t tell you any details, but you’re pretty much correct.