Although covering contraceptives with prescription plans is a noble idea, he is concerned it could drive up the cost of insurance plans and force some to give up coverage because of high costs. There are currently some insurance plans that cover the pill in their health coverage, but the numbers are limited. Heather Dallape, an agent for Ozburn Insurance Agency in Murphysboro, said that out of 17 companies she deals through, only American Company Insurance includes coverage of the pill. American Company covers only oral contraceptives in its prescription coverage. However, ensuring that the pill is covered in prescription plans will not make much difference to students who buy the pill through Student Health Program's Pharmacy.
Students get an automatic insurance plan that is covered by a semester charge to the bursar bill.
Even without insurance covering prescriptions at the campus pharmacy, students reap the benefits of cheaper prices for some medications compared with outside pharmacies, including the pill. Jake Bagget, assistant director of business and insurance at the Student Heath Programs, said students get medication at SIUC's pharmacy at a prorated cost, allowing a cheaper price for some medications. Gummersheimer advocates the cheapest form of birth control, saying that married couples who don't want children, but need intimacy in their marriage, should rely on the women's natural biological clock and abstain from sex when the women is ovulating. But, for the younger generation, Gummersheimer said that providing insurance to cover birth control is just another example of how society is taking less and less responsibility for life. This document may be distributed electronically for personal use only, provided it is distributed in its entirety and includes this notice.