Birth Control Options

It’s a good idea to talk to a health care professional about what will work best for you. The information below is a good place to start.

Medicaid generally covers the cost of birth control in the United States. This includes a range of contraceptive methods such as birth control pills, intrauterine devices (IUDs), implants, injections, patches, and emergency contraception. Coverage specifics can vary by state, as each state administers its own Medicaid program within federal guidelines, but family planning services, including birth control, are typically covered without cost-sharing.

What Options are Available?

Hormonal Methods

✓

Hormonal methods mimic natural hormones in the woman’s body, typically preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg each month. These prescription birth control methods are generally covered by Medicaid and other insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act:

  • Birth Control Pill:
    • Effectiveness: 92%
  • Patch:
    • Effectiveness: 92%
  • NuvaRing:
    • Effectiveness: 92%
  • Depo-Provera (Depo shot):
    • Effectiveness: 97%

Condoms

✓

Condoms act as a barrier to prevent sperm from reaching the egg.

  • Male Condom:
    • Effectiveness: 85%
    • Cost: $0.50 – $2 each
  • Female Condom:
    • Effectiveness: 79%
    • Cost: $1.50 – $5 each
    • Some clinics provide free or low-cost condoms, especially for youth and young adults.

Intrauterine Device (IUD)

✓

IUDs are small, T-shaped devices inserted into a woman’s uterus by a doctor. IUDs are often covered by Medicaid and other insurance plans:

  • Copper IUD:
    • Effectiveness: 99.2%
  • Hormonal IUD:
    • Effectiveness: 99.9%

How do I access free birth control?

You can obtain a prescription for birth control from various healthcare providers, including walk-in clinics, hospitals, doctors, and pharmacies.

To access birth control options covered under Medicaid or insurance plans:

  1. Get a Prescription: Visit a healthcare provider to get a prescription for birth control.
  2. Present Prescription: Present your prescription and insurance information at any pharmacy.
  3. Receive Birth Control: The pharmacist will fill your prescription, often at no cost to you.

What about if you don’t have medicade?

For Birth Control Not Covered by Insurance

Some birth control methods may not be fully covered by insurance. For these options:

  • Low-Cost Clinics: Visit clinics that offer free or low-cost birth control. Visit Planned Parenthood or something similar in your area
  • Income Assistance: Some programs offer additional coverage for individuals on income assistance.
  • Non-Insured Health Benefits: Certain birth control methods are covered for Indigenous peoples through the Non-Insured Health Benefits program.

References:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (n.d.). Birth Control: Overview. Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Contraception. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/index.htm

Planned Parenthood. (n.d.). Birth Control Methods. Retrieved from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control