The University of Oregon’s Pharmacist-Prescribed Birth Control Program provides contraceptives for students who are living on and off-campus. Initially launched in 2017, the program aims “to expand student access to contraceptive services for our campus population and provide these services in a timely manner,” according to a University Student Health spokesperson.
Through the birth control program, UO students can access birth control without a physician’s prescription.
To utilize the program, students must fill out a brief screening forum that will help to determine if they are eligible to receive treatment.
“A consult includes a review of a patient’s medical history relative to contraceptive use and medical conditions,” a USH spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Emerald. “During consults, pharmacists meet with the patients, take their blood pressure and work with them to either continue an existing therapy or help to select a different method and then write a prescription.”
“I think that it’s great,” UO senior Willow Ryon said. “I think that it is something that was really needed on campus. I hope that the people using the program are met with respect and listened to.”
Ryon has had ups and downs with birth control during her time in college.
“My first experience with birth control was actually two years ago. I called the University Health Center because I was having some health issues and wanted to start birth control to help with those,” Ryon said. She was told that there was not much that could be done for her through Student Health. “There didn’t seem to be a lot of resources at the time for college students without health insurance,” she said.
Ryon said the Health Center told her to either go to the hospital or go to Planned Parenthood. She chose Planned Parenthood. The closest Planned Parenthood clinic, located in Eugene, is roughly two miles away from campus.
With health insurance, some services at Planned Parenthood can be greatly discounted or free. “Obviously people can go to Planned Parenthood for free, but it’s not close for students,” Ryon said.
According to its website, Planned Parenthood offers up to 18 different methods of contraception to patients. It requires patients to make an appointment and pay at the time of service. According to the Planned Parenthood website, contraception options can range from free to $1,300 depending on insurance and the type of contraception.
But a visit to Planned Parenthood isn’t the only option.
According to USH, pharmacists on campus can prescribe oral contraceptives, the patch, the vaginal ring and the Depo-Provera shot.
From check-in time to prescription filling, students should expect to spend at least 45 minutes completing the entire process. No appointment is necessary, and students can drop in anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m on weekdays.
The fee for a consultation is $95. Pharmacist consults are billed like a visit with any other provider. Interested patients should check with their insurance provider to make sure visits with pharmacists are covered, UHS said.
According to USH, most Oregon-based insurance will cover the cost for a consultation and prescription. Students who have out-of-state insurance should make sure their plan covers these costs.
Oregon ContraceptiveCare — or CCare — will not cover the costs of pharmacist consultations for students, according to the pharmacist-prescribed birth control website.
“We hope our campus community continues to take advantage of this and other clinical services such as vaccines and smoking cessation counseling and prescribing,” a USH spokesperson wrote.
