Between the 2020 Supreme Court ruling that made it legal for employers to refuse to cover birth control and the fact that 19 million people who are capable of becoming pregnant live in a contraceptive desert, there’s plenty of reason to be concerned about birth control access.
To help ease concerns, we put together a guide on how to access lower-cost and cost-free birth control in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Contraceptive deserts
A contraceptive desert refers to a region where the number of health centers offering the full range of methods in the area isn’t enough to meet the needs of the population.
The states with the fewest clinic options for birth control include:
- South Dakota
- North Dakota
- Nebraska
- Kansas
- Texas
- Alabama
- Alaska
It’s amazing that there are so many types of birth control — but figuring out which option is right for you requires a little brain work.
Dr. Alyssa Dweck, INTIMINA’s sexual and reproductive health expert, recommends asking yourself:
- Do I want my birth control method to reduce STI transmission risk, too?
- Is my menstrual cycle regular, heavy, painful, lengthy, or not a concern?
- Do I experience acne, PMS, migraine attacks, depression, or other conditions I’d like birth control to help treat?
- Truthfully, would remembering to take a daily pill be difficult for me?
- What is my birth control budget?
- Do I want children in the near future? How about ever?
- How do I feel about receiving a pelvic exam?
“The answers to these questions can help you and your provider make a great decision,” she says.
It goes wayyyy beyond condoms and birth control pills.
Lifestyle
There are ways to avoid pregnancy if you don’t want to use anything.
Abstinence
Every pleasure seeker has a different definition of abstinence. So, if you’re looking to avoid pregnancy, make sure your definition includes opting out of P-in-V intercourse.
Outercourse
Typically, outercourse is any sexual play that doesn’t involve penetration.
If you’re using outercourse to avoid unwanted pregnancy, make sure your definition includes keeping P-in-V sex off the table.
Fertility awareness methods
This involves keeping tabs on your menstrual cycle so you can either avoid P-in-V on your most fertile days or use a secondary form of birth control, like condoms.
This could include:
Nonhormonal
Avoiding P-in-V — or avoiding it on certain days of the month — isn’t the only nonhormonal way to avoid pregnancy. And many options are available over the counter (OTC) at most drugstores.
Internal condom
- What it is: Internal condoms are polyurethane pouches that line the inside of the vaginal canal, catching the semen so sperm can’t swim to an egg.
- Available OTC: Yes
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: No
External condom
- What it is: External condoms are skintight sheaths that go over the penis during penetrative play, intercepting any semen released from the penis.
- Available OTC: Yes
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: No
Sponge
- What it is: Squishy and soaked in spermicide, sponges get manually placed against the cervix before sex, killing off sperm before they can enter the uterus.
- Available OTC: Yes
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: No
Spermicide
- What it is: Spermicide is a chemical that gets squirted inside the vagina where it then kills off sperm after ejaculation.
- Available OTC: Yes
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: No
Diaphragm
- What it is: Diaphragms are reusable, silicone disks that get covered in spermicide and slipped inside the vagina to cover the cervix before sex.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: Yes
Cervical cap
- What it is: Cervical caps are silicone caps that get filled with spermicide and inserted over the cervix to keep sperm from traveling into the uterus.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: Yes
Copper IUD
- What it is: Shaped like tiny pogo sticks, copper IUDs get implanted in the uterus where they can stay for up to 10 years. Copper changes the way sperm swim and survive, so it keeps them from traveling to an egg.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: No
- Prescription needed: Yes
Tubal ligation
- What it is: Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure that involves permanently blocking, tying, or cutting the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: No
- Prescription needed: No
Vasectomy
- What it is: Vasectomy is a procedure that involves permanently blocking or cutting the tubes that carry the sperm to the ejaculatory fluid.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: No
- Prescription needed: No
Hormonal
Hormonal birth control has the benefit of birth control plus the potential benefit of hormones (including menstrual cycle regulation and reduced hormonal acne, to name a few).
Shot
- What it is: The shot is a trimonthly injection of the synthetic hormone progestin, which keeps ovulation from occurring.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: Yes
Ring
- What it is: The ring is a 2-inch band that gets inserted into the vagina for 3 weeks at a time, where it gradually releases pregnancy-stopping hormones.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: Yes
Patch
- What it is: The patch gets stuck to your bod like a sticker where it releases a stream of estrogen and progestin until it’s replaced a week later.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: Yes
Implant
- What it is: A matchstick-shaped rod, the implant gets inserted under the skin of the arm where it releases ovulation-stopping progestin.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: No
- Prescription needed: Yes
Pill
- What it is: The pill is a daily medication that contains just progestin (minipill) or progestin and estrogen (combination pill) to stop ovulation.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: Yes
- Prescription needed: No
Hormonal IUD
- What it is: Hormonal IUDs are inserted into the uterus where they release an itty-bitty bit of ovulation-stopping progestin until they’re removed 3 to 5 years later.
- Available OTC: No
- Available online: No
- Prescription needed: Yes
Emergency contraceptive (EC) pills ≠ birth control
While highly effective when taken properly (within 72 hours after P-in-V sex), EC pills like Plan B shouldn’t be used as routine birth control.
“It’s an effective fallback, but it’s nowhere near as effective as the birth control options,” says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, OB-GYN at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
Plus, he says, “It’s a very high dose of hormones, so taking it regularly probably won’t make you feel very good.”
Great question!
The cost of birth control depends on a variety of factors including:
- Where you live
- What insurance you have (if any)
- What type of birth control you’re accessing
- Your income (there are some government assistance programs for folks on a lower income)
Of these factors, the type of birth control you’re accessing is the biggest factor affecting cost. An external condom, for example, will put you out about a dollar, while an IUD can put you out more than a grand (if you don’t have insurance).
As a general rule, people who have insurance should expect to spend $0.00 to $250.00 total per year (between $0.00 and $20.00 per month).
Those who don’t have insurance should expect to spend $200 to $600 total per year (about $20 to $50 per month)… unless (and this is important!) they qualify for Medicaid or other government programs that cover the cost.
Your local health clinics, Planned Parenthood, and Title X clinics are locations most likely to offer free to lower-cost birth control for those who aren’t insured.
Cool, so you’ve either decided that using birth control is in your best interest or are interested in learning more. But what’s the first step?
Here’s what folks with and without insurance need to know.
Local health departments
Most city and county health departments will be able to help you determine your most effective birth control methods and help you access those options.
Typically, an appointment costs $10 to $25 dollars, during which you’ll get a consultation with a physician and get a birth control prescription.
In the case of an implant, shot, or IUD, you may be able to receive birth control during that very appointment.
Find your local health department via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
Planned Parenthood locations
Planned Parenthood clinics accept Medicaid and most health insurance plans.
And if you don’t have insurance? Don’t worry. These clinics will often provide a discount on birth control depending on income.
Find a Planned Parenthood clinic near you here. (FYI: They offer IRL and URL appointments!)
Nonprofit organizations
There are a number of nonprofit orgs that offer free and lower-cost birth control options for all folks regardless of their insurance situation.
To find one near you, try Googling “lower-cost birth control near me” or “Title X family planning clinic in [insert your city here].”
College and university health centers
Many colleges and universities offer lower-cost birth control options for their students. (Yes, including students without insurance.)
To find out if your school’s health center does, ring them up and ask.
LGBTQIA+ centers
Many cities have LGBTQIA+ centers that offer family planning services. Others don’t offer those services themselves but keep a directory of local LGBTQIA+ friendly providers that do.
Find your local LGBTQIA+ center using the CenterLink LGBT Community Center Member Directory. Enter your location, find the community center nearest you, and call them up to ask about birth control services.
State-by-state highlights
Wanna know exactly where to go? Scroll down for our roundup, where we’ve identified a clinic offering free or lower-cost contraceptives at the top, middle, and bottom region of each state.
Connecticut
In the Nutmeg state, people of any age can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Plus, people of any age can get barrier methods like condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options
- extended supply
- female sterilization
Restrictions
Providers
Delaware
In Delaware, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options except external condoms
- extended supply
- female sterilization
Restrictions
- You’re a minor until age 18 in Delaware, but you can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent starting at age 12.
- Physicians reserve the right to tell minors’ parent(s) or guardian(s) about prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
Maine
In this picturesque state, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- extended supply
- female sterilization
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re a parent, married, have a health condition that may benefit from this medication, or emancipated.
Providers
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, people of any age can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent.
Plus, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options except external condoms
- extended supply
- female sterilization
Restrictions
Providers
Maryland
In Maryland, people of any age can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent.
Plus, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- OTC drugs
- extended supply
- male sterilization
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, physicians reserve the right to tell your parent(s) or guardian(s) about your prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
New Hampshire
People of any age can get condoms or EC pills in New Hampshire.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- extended supply
- contraception that’s prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist
Restrictions
- New Hampshire law doesn’t explicitly state that people under age 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
New Jersey
In New Jersey, people of all ages can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options except condoms
- extended supply
- male sterilization
- female sterilization
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married, pregnant, or have been pregnant before.
Providers
New York
New Yorkers of all ages can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent.
Plus, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options
- extended supply
- male sterilization
- female sterilization
Restrictions
Providers
Pennsylvania
People of any age in Pennsylvania can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Plus, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
Providers
Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- extended supply
Restrictions
- Rhode Island law doesn’t explicitly state that people under the age of 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
Vermont
In Vermont, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- extended supply
- female sterilization
- male sterilization
Restrictions
- If you’re unmarried and under the age of 18, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control.
- Vermont law doesn’t explicitly state that unmarried people under age 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
Washington, D.C.
In Washington, D.C., people of any age can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent.
Plus, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options
- extended supply
- female sterilization
Restrictions
Providers
Kentucky
In Kentucky, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, physicians reserve the right to tell your parent(s) or guardian(s) about your prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
Alabama
In Alabama, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- You’re a minor until age 19 in Alabama, but you can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent starting at age 14.
- People under 14 years of age can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission if they’re a high school graduate, a parent, married, or have ever been pregnant.
Providers
Arkansas
In Arkansas, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
- You’re a minor until age 18 in Arkansas, but you can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent starting at age 14.
- People under 14 years of age can get prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission if they’re a high school graduate, a parent, married, or have ever been pregnant.
Providers
Florida
In the Sunshine State, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married, a parent, have been pregnant before, or have a health condition that may benefit from this medication.
Providers
Georgia
In addition to peaches, people of any age in Georgia can get condoms, EC pills, or prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
Providers
Louisiana
In the boot-shaped state, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married or have a health condition that may benefit from this medication.
Providers
Mississippi
In this Southern state, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 21, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re a parent, married, or have a referral from a “specified professional.”
Providers
North Carolina
In North Carolina, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian consent.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
Providers
South Carolina
In South Carolina, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 16, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married or your healthcare provider deems that you’re a “mature minor.”
Providers
Tennessee
In Tennessee, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
The state explicitly includes insurance coverage for contraception that’s prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist.
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 16, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married or your healthcare provider deems that you’re a “mature minor.”
Providers
Virginia
In Virginia, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- extended supply
- female sterilization
Restrictions
Providers
West Virginia
In West Virginia, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- extended supply
- contraception that’s prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married or your healthcare provider deems that you’re a “mature minor.”
Providers
Illinois
In Illinois, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options except external condoms
- extended supply
- female sterilization
- male sterilization
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 12, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re a parent or have been pregnant before, are married, have a health condition that may benefit from this medication, or receive a referral from a “specified professional.”
Providers
Indiana
In Indiana, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re unmarried and under the age of 18, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control.
- Indiana law doesn’t explicitly state that unmarried people under age 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
Iowa
In Iowa, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
Providers
Kansas
In the Sunflower State, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, physicians reserve the right to tell your parent(s) or guardian(s) about your prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
Michigan
In Michigan, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married.
Providers
Minnesota
In Minnesota, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission. However, a provider may (but is not required to!) tell the guardian.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, physicians reserve the right to tell your parent(s) or guardian(s) about your prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
Missouri
In Missouri, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married.
Providers
Nebraska
In Nebraska, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re unmarried and under the age of 19, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control.
- Nebraska law doesn’t explicitly state that unmarried people under age 19 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
North Dakota
In North Dakota, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control.
- North Dakota law doesn’t explicitly state that people under age 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
Ohio
In Ohio, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- Nothing. Although pharmacists are legally allowed to dispense the full amount of a prescription at one time, including contraception, health insurance plans aren’t required to cover the cost of accessing a year’s worth of contraceptives at one time.
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control.
- Ohio law doesn’t explicitly state that people under age 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
South Dakota
In South Dakota, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 16, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married or your healthcare provider deems that you’re a “mature minor.”
Providers
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control.
- Wisconsin law doesn’t explicitly state that people under age 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get prescription birth control.
Providers
Arizona
In Arizona, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
Restrictions
Providers
New Mexico
In the Land of Enchantment, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required** to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options
- extended supply
- male sterilization
- female sterilization
*Religious insurers aren’t exempt from this mandate but may provide contraceptive coverage through a subcontract with another insurer or third-party entity.
**The state allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense contraceptives, but insurance coverage of these services isn’t explicitly included in the law.
Restrictions
Providers
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married, pregnant, or have been pregnant before.
Providers
Texas
In Texas, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married.
Providers
Alaska
In the largest U.S. state, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
Providers
California
In California, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required** to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options except external condoms
- extended supply
- female sterilization
*Religious insurers aren’t exempt from this mandate but may provide contraceptive coverage through a subcontract with another insurer or third-party entity.
**The state allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense contraceptives, but insurance coverage of these services isn’t explicitly included in the law.
Restrictions
Providers
Colorado
In Colorado, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental permission.
Insurance providers are required** to cover:
- prescription birth control
*Religious insurers aren’t exempt from this mandate but may provide contraceptive coverage through a subcontract with another insurer or third-party entity.
**The state allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense contraceptives, but insurance coverage of these services isn’t explicitly included in the law.
Restrictions
Providers
Hawaii
In Hawaii, people of any age can get condoms and EC pills.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription methods
- extended supply
- contraception that’s prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 14, you need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control.
- If you’re under the age of 18, physicians reserve the right to tell your parent(s) or guardian(s) about your prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
Idaho
In Idaho, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
Providers
Montana
In Montana, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control methods
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, physicians reserve the right to tell your parent(s) or guardian(s) about your prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
Nevada
In Nevada, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- emergency contraception
- extended supply
- female sterilization
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you may need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re a parent, are married, or your healthcare provider deems that you’re a “mature minor.”
- Nevada law doesn’t explicitly state that people under age 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission to get birth control.
Providers
Oregon
In Oregon, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options except condoms
- extended supply
- female sterilization
- male sterilization
- contraception that’s prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, physicians reserve the right to tell your parent(s) or guardian(s) about your prescriptions, but the law doesn’t require them to do so.
Providers
Utah
In Utah, people of any age can get condoms or EC pills at local pharmacies.
As for insurance? Well, the state allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense contraceptives, but insurance coverage of these services isn’t explicitly included in the law.
Restrictions
- If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to get prescription birth control unless you’re married.
Providers
Washington
In Washington, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required** to cover:
- prescription birth control
- all OTC options
- extended supply
- female sterilization
- male sterilization
*Religious insurers aren’t exempt from this mandate but may provide contraceptive coverage through a subcontract with another insurer or third-party entity.
**The state allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense contraceptives, but insurance coverage of these services isn’t explicitly included in the law.
Restrictions
Providers
Wyoming
In Wyoming, people of any age can get condoms, EC pills, and prescription birth control without parental or guardian permission.
Insurance providers are required to cover:
Restrictions
Providers
Maybe your local Planned Parenthood is only open the hours you’re working. Or maybe you don’t feel comfortable going to a doctor’s office in the middle of a pandemic. (Hey, fair!)
Luckily, so long as you have access to the internet (think: on your phone or at a public library) and either a mailing address or access to a pharmacy, you can take advantage of telemedicine.
There are TONS of telemedicine companies out there whose mission is to make accessing birth control easier.
Here are some we recommend (and Healthline may get a small commission if you use ’em):
Lemonaid Health
- Methods offered: The pill, ring, and patch.
- Age limitations: Must be over 18 years old.
- Available: All 50 states, including Washington, D.C.
- Fees: One $25 consult fee per year, plus the cost of birth control, which varies. Birth control may be free if you have insurance, and may be as little as $10 if you don’t.
Pandia Health
- Methods offered: The pill, ring, and patch.
- Age limitations: Must be over 18 years old.
- Available: All 50 states, including Washington, D.C.
- Fees: One $20 consult fee per year, plus cost of birth control, which varies. Birth control may be free if you have insurance, and may be as little as $15 if you don’t.
HeyDoctor
- Methods offered: The pill, ring, patch, EC pill, and internal condom.
- Age limitations: None, but if you’re under the age of 18 you’ll need parental or guardian consent.
- Available: All 50 states, including Washington, D.C.
- Fees: One $20 online visit, plus the cost of the medication at the pharmacy.
Your local Walmart likely offers lower-cost birth control.
And there are always coupons! Really. We recommend GoodRx. Head to their site — FYI, Healthline may get a small commission if you do — type in your birth control method of choice, and they’ll automatically bring up any coupons available for that product.
OK, babes, you’ve gotten to the end.
Now you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that regardless of your current insurance sitch — or lack thereof — there are free and lower-cost birth control options for you.
Gabrielle Kassel (she/her) is a queer sex educator and wellness journalist who is committed to helping people feel the best they can in their bodies. In addition to Healthline, her work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Health, Self, Women’s Health, Greatist, and more! In her free time, Gabrielle can be found coaching CrossFit, reviewing pleasure products, hiking with her border collie, or recording episodes of the podcast she co-hosts called Bad In Bed. Follow her on Instagram @Gabriellekassel.