The cost of birth control: By the numbers

The burning birth-control controversies boil down to two seemingly simple questions: How much does contraception cost, and who should pay for it?

The cost of the pill can range widely
(Image credit: CC BY: nateOne)

Much of the political drama and intrigue of the past month has revolved around what seems like a fairly straightforward topic: The cost of birth control. Infuriating the Catholic Church, the Obama administration declared that female contraception is sufficiently expensive that most employer-sponsored health insurance plans should offer many varieties free of charge. Tensions ratcheted up after Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke testified that the birth control pill costs a potentially onerous $1,000 a year; Rush Limbaugh and other conservative commentators said Fluke and her allies want everyone to pay for them to have lots of sex. Cue liberal outrage. But what are the facts behind the hullaballoo? Here's a look at some numbers that factor into the cost of contraception:

$9

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