|  After more than two long years, access to affordable birth control has been restored for millions of women! Even in the face of some opposition, Congress and President Obama stood up for women's health by including access to affordable birth control in an appropriations bill this March.
In this difficult economy, access to basic health care, including birth control, is more important than ever. Yet, a legislative error made birth control prices skyrocket by as much as 900%. That price increase should never have happened -- and it definitely should not have taken this long to fix.
Thanks to you, the appropriations bill that President Obama has signed contains the no-cost solution that will restore access to affordable birth control for low-income women and college students. Over the past few years, supporters like you have helped Planned Parenthood gain crucial support in Congress. Your stories of the real-life impact of these skyrocketing prices helped us bring together both Democrats and Republicans in support of this commonsense solution.
Thank you! |
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| BACKGROUND | | What if Congress passed a law that made the price of your groceries go up by 900%? There would be an instant uproar, and you can bet the problem would be fixed, immediately. Because of a technical error made by Congress in 2005, the cost of birth control in many clinics has risen to almost 900% what it was just a short time ago.
Some women who were paying $5 to $10 per month are now paying $40 to $50 for birth control. For the college students and low-income women affected by this cost hike, that's no small matter.
Fall 2005 A legislative error is made while creating the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. It causes the price of birth control to skyrocket by up to 900% for low-income women and college students effective January 2007. Planned Parenthood leaps into action.
Spring 2008 Planned Parenthood joins forces with a group of more than 40 colleges and to send an open letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid asking that Congress’ mistake be amended.
Summer 2008 As birth control prices climb, Planned Parenthood launches the Affordable Birth Control Campaign and starts to mobilize students and activists across the country.
September 2008 Nearly 300 campuses in 45 states across the country participate in the Planned Parenthood Affordable Birth Control Week of Action. College students come to Washington, DC, to tell their members of Congress stories about how they have been affected by rising birth control costs. More than 50,000 supporters across the country show their support for the Affordable Birth Control Campaign.
January 2009 The Prevention Through Affordable Access Act, a bipartisan, no-cost solution to the problem of birth control pricing, is introduced.
March 2009 Congress stood up for women and passed a no-cost provision to ensure access to affordable birth control. President Obama signed the bill on March 11, 2009. |
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