How Much Does Plan B Cost
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How Much Does Plan B Morning-After Pill Cost?

Last Updated on December 27, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by Certified CFA CFA Alexander Popinker

If you’re wondering what Plan B is, well, this is one of the most known forms of birth control available on the market today. Many people might not know this, but the birth control topic is a very broad one, covering anything from abstinence to particular surgeries.

One of the most used emergency contraception methods is still Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill. Some people forget to take normal medications, even if they’re on a daily contraceptive medication to prevent getting pregnant. For them or even people that have had unprotected intercourse, the best option remains the morning-after pill.

How much does Plan B cost?

  • Family Planning organizations like Planned Parenthood will offer rates as low as $10, so you can find really low prices if you meet some income requirements.
  • Articles from websites like About.com, give an estimated price for Plan B between $35 and $60, with an average of around $45.
  • If you want to get a Plan B one-step from Drugstore.com, expect a retail price of $47. Don’t forget that Drugstore.com requires you to be 17 or older to be able to buy it without a prescription. People that are below this age mark will need a prescription to get these types of pills.
  • As an average price, expect to pay anywhere from $30 to over $65 for Plan B on retail at local health departments. Why the big difference? The main factor that will influence the difference in price is the pharmacy where you are buying it from.
  • People that have a health insurance policy may or may not be covered for this type of pill, so the best course of action is to check your coverage if you are under such health insurance plans.

What is going to be included?

The package will contain just one white pill. You will need to get two pills having a dose of 0.75 mg of progestin levonorgestrel each. The woman that wants to use them, should take one of these emergency contraception pills within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse and another white pill 12 hours later, according to the instructions written on the package.

This will have three ways of attack against the undesired pregnancy. The first one will be to prevent the egg from leaving the ovary if it hasn’t already. The second course of action will be to stop the egg from being fertilized if it has already left the ovary. The last attempt to stop the undesired pregnancy will be by stopping the implanting of the fertilized egg inside the womb.

Plan B won’t be as effective as normal, regular contraception methods, so don’t use it as an alternative. As stated on the official Plan B website, the Plan B medication will be effective in about 87,5% of the cases, which means that only 7 out of 8 women will prevent pregnancy even when they take it within the recommended time periods. This makes it much less effective than daily birth control.

When using Plan B one-step, expect side effects like a delay of menstruation, breast tenderness, headache, dizziness, fatigue, lower abdominal pain, nausea, or heavier menstrual bleeding than usual.

If you are looking for a place where you can get Plan B, you can either look for local pharmacies like CVS, Rite-Aid, or Walgreens, online registered pharmacies (be careful when shopping online), or organizations like Planned Parenthood.

This is an article about the average cost of Plan B, the well-known morning-after pill. For more information regarding all types of morning-after pills, their cost, pros, cons, and side effects, Check out Our Morning After Pill Cost Article.

What are the extra costs?

The Plan B package will contain just one white pill, but you will have to take another one after 12 hours, so you will need to get two packages of Plan B.

Factors that influence the price

  1. Country.  As for many other products that are available worldwide, Plan B has a price that will depend on the country in which you live or where you buy it from.
  2. Availability.  As soon as stocks start to deplete, expect an increase in Plan B one-step’s price. If you live in a place where this product is less available, expect to pay more than if you live in a place where Plan B can be found in abundance.
  3. The place where you are buying it from. Different retailers will have different prices.

Tips to know when you use Plan B

  • Don’t take the Plan B pill if you are already pregnant. This can cause damage to you and your fetus, but it won’t do anything to stop the pregnancy.
  • Don’t expect Plan B to cure or protect against HIV or any other STDs, so use a contraceptive method that protects you from STDs also.
  • There is no other way to tell if you are pregnant or not until you see whether or not your period is late. Look for a delay in menses of over 1 week, as Plan B can delay your menstrual cycle by a maximum of 7 days.

How can I save money?

The plan b package

  • Look for printable coupons on Plan B’s official website, as many of them are offered on a regular basis. The last coupon available was for $10 off. All you need to do is print this coupon and show it at the pharmacy when you buy Plan B.
  • The first dose of Plan B is way more important than the second one, so spend more on the first dose by getting a pill with a well-known brand name. For the second pill, the one that needs to be taken 12 hours later, use any generic brand, like Next Choice. The role of the second dose will be to simply support the first one, so you can rely on a cheaper name to do that if you want to spend less.
  • You can find financial assistance with organizations like Planned Parenthood Health Centers if you have a problem with money.
  • Many insurances will cover these pills, so check your Medicaid coverage before buying.

Is this affordable for the average individual?

This is a cost that can be managed by any average person in the US. Don’t forget that unprotected intercourse wasn’t a one-person activity, so you can split the costs between you and your partner. Having a maximum price of $65 for one pill will be a lot cheaper than actually giving birth and raising a child. (Check out How Much Does It Cost To Give Birth To A Child, to get an idea).

Would we use this? Reaching the point where we’d need such medication, we would in fact use it without even thinking about it. Don’t rely on luck to stop a pregnancy from happening.

Alec Pow
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