Birth control is cheaper than unintended births

Editor,

Birth control prices on college campuses have increased upward of 100 percent because of the pharmaceutical industry's response to actions undertaken by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. No matter who is at fault - CMS or the pharmaceutical industry - the health insurance industry, both private and public, should

take note.

Preventing pregnancies is far cheaper than the medical costs associated with unintended pregnancies. Recent published research shows that the direct medical costs of unintended pregnancies in the U.S. were estimated to be $5 billion per year, while direct medical cost savings due to contraceptive use were estimated to be $19 billion.

Both Medicaid and the private health insurance industry are likely to spend significantly more for unintended pregnancies than they would have spent on contraceptive coverage. An ounce of prevention, indeed.

James Trussell

Director of Princeton University's Office of Population Research and member of the Association of Reproductive Health

Professionals