by Nancy Sep£lveda
Daily Lobo
The price of birth control offered at student health centers in universities across the nation increased this year, doubling or tripling in cost.
The hike is a result of federal policy changes that make it more expensive for drug manufacturers to participate in Medicaid if they give discounts to colleges.
The policy took effect in January.
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At UNM's Student Health Center, students can expect prices to increase from about $15 per month to $25 to $35 per month, said Linda Haakenson, manager of the center's pharmacy.
"It's a huge jump," she said. "Our students are working low-paying jobs, trying to make ends meet. So, it certainly impacts them a great deal."
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which focused on Medicaid, started the cost increase.
According to the American College Health Association, drug manufacturers pay rebates to the states in order to participate in the Medicaid program.
Before January 2007, drug manufacturers gave discounts to certain buyers, including college health care providers.
The act changed the rebate formula, and now companies that give discounts have to pay states more for Medicaid.
Consequently, fewer drug manufacturers are willing to offer the discounts.
The act affects any medication the pharmacy provides, but birth control is the only type that is discounted at the Student Health Center.
Haakenson said some students may not be willing to pay more for contraception.
"I imagine it will prevent some women from using birth control, unfortunately," she said.
The pharmacy will have to change the type of pills it carries, Haakenson said.
"We'll have to switch from brand-name birth control pills to generic," she said.
The generic pills are as effective as their name-brand equivalents, she said.
"It's an attempt to keep the costs down, but it's still going to be more expensive than it was," she said.
The pharmacy bought as many pills at the lower rate as possible before the law went into effect, Haakenson said.
"The manufacturers put limits on how much we could buy, so unfortunately, we weren't able to buy as many as we would have liked," she said.
Haakenson said the pharmacy has already run out of some brands. Its supply of other low-cost birth control pills will last another two or three months, she said.
Student Elizabeth Silva said the higher cost of oral contraceptives adds to the challenges women face in reproductive health care.
"It makes an already largely inaccessible service even more difficult to get," she said.
Student Erica Gallegos said it is unfair for students to pay more for products carried by student-serving institutions.
"We can barely pay for tuition, fees and books," she said. "We depend on discounts that favor students."
Gallegos said it places an unfair burden on female students.
"Women have to pay a higher price for their sexuality," she said.
Haakenson said the pharmacy tries to work with students who are struggling to pay for their birth control pills.
"We do the best we can in terms of offering to let students charge their medications to their student account," she said. "That way, if they don't have the money right now, they can still get what they need."
Student Renee Delgado said the higher cost should not prevent students from using birth control.
"We're adults," she said. "Finding the means to get and pay for birth control shouldn't be too difficult."
Haakenson said the increase came as a surprise.
"It kind of blindsided us as college health professionals, because we don't deal with Medicaid," she said. "It's very complicated."
