Generic birth-control pills: $4 or $10? Or $9? Or $50?

[Celebration]

Link

I think this may be why insurance companies would be very happy to cover birth control. They can make money off it. We tend to forget stuff like this with all the political hoopla.

The marketplace for birth-control pills is pretty interesting, and it seems to change by the day.

A woman we know who takes Ortho Tricyclen Lo got this letter not long ago from her insurance company, encouraging her to stop taking the brand-name pill (for which she has a $50-a-month copay) and to instead start taking one of three generics — Tri-Sprintec, Trinessa or Tri-Previfem, for which she would have a $10-a-month copay.

The insurance company helpfully calculated in the letter (page 2 is below)
that she’d save $40 a month, for a total annual savings of $480 a year, if she’d switch.

What they didn’t mention is that if she was on a generic plan with, say, Target, she could pay $4 a month for Trinessa (or $10 for 90 days), not $10 per month — plus whatever her insurance premium turns out to be as a monthly charge.

[MisterP]

1. keep in mind that there are 4 main constituencies to the GOP

1. big business and the Northeast Establishment (GHW Bush, the Romneys)
2. fundamentalists
3. libertarians/populists (Paul, Buchanan)
4. militarists (Ollie North)

and they're involved in a delicate dance (and often fueled by prejudice)

[Celebration]

2. well sure

But think of what a ridiculous issue this is. In principle I am really incensed about the Catholic Church not wanting to cover birth control. OTOH, why would that be important if the cost of a decent generic is less than the copay if you go through insurance? Heck, the insurance companies are probably salivating over the prospect of having to cover these things. They get a kickback from the pharmacies or the drug companies for every prescription..................probably. I don't know the specifics but they definitely get kickbacks, although I am sure they have some other name for it that sounds more politically correct.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Generics of a LOT of meds are available for as little as4.00 a month

which, not having insurance, I find very helpful.