These past few months, I have noticed many of my friends recalculating their monthly budgets because of the new costs incurred by their birth control.
Many survive from one paycheck to the next, and it's unfortunate that they have to choose between paying for their health and paying for their utilities. So why has this become an issue recently?
Under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2006, Congress inadvertently changed a rule and made it harder for universities and some family planning providers to offer their patients affordable birth control.
Now, hundreds of thousands of women, who once only had to pay $5 to $10 for their birth control, must now spend $40 to $50 on a month's supply, making it much more difficult to afford.
This affordable birth control crisis is a simple problem to fix - it would cost taxpayers nothing and can be done immediately. Congress needs to take action and pass the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act.
Birth control is basic health care, and if Congress is serious about reducing the rate of unintended pregnancies, they need to fix this mess.
Voices for Planned Parenthood is organizing students to speak out on the affordable birth control crisis and encouraging Congress to take action.
They'll be collecting petitions to send to the Florida Congressional Delegation, so I urge students to show support for affordable birth control by signing one. They will be tabling on the Reitz Union Colonnade Wednesday and on Turlington Plaza Thursday.
