Which online birth control services take insurance and which are cheapest without it?

Short answer

• Many telehealth providers will bill private insurance (and some employer plans) for the visit/prescription — common names: Nurx, PlushCare, Maven (Rory), and Planned Parenthood (clinic/PP Direct). Whether they accept your specific plan (or Medicaid) varies by state and by drug.
• If you don’t have insurance, the cheapest options are usually Lemonaid Health, The Pill Club, SimpleHealth (and using pharmacy discount tools like GoodRx or Walmart’s low-cost generics). These typically offer low flat cash prices for generic oral contraceptives (~$10–$30/month) and free shipping.

Who commonly accepts insurance (what to check)

• Nurx — often can bill private insurance for the prescription/visit in many states. Check your plan and the checkout “insurance” option.
• PlushCare — accepts many major private insurance plans for telehealth visits; prescription cost then depends on your pharmacy/plan.
• Maven Clinic (including Rory services) — frequently provided as an employer benefit and sometimes billed to insurers through employer plans.
• Planned Parenthood (affiliate clinics and some PP Direct services) — clinics routinely accept private insurance and Medicaid; the app/online offerings vary.
• Local health system telehealth (Kaiser, CVS MinuteClinic/NowClinic, your insurer’s telehealth) — will accept their own insurance plans.

Notes: “Accepting insurance” is highly plan- and state-dependent. Some services will bill your insurance for the telehealth visit but the pharmacy charge is handled separately. Medicaid acceptance varies by provider and state.

Cheapest cash/no-insurance options (approximate)

• Lemonaid Health — known for low flat prices on generic pills and straightforward cash pricing (commonly $15–$25/month depending on product).
• The Pill Club — subscription model with low monthly prices on generics and free shipping; discounts for multi-month supplies.
• SimpleHealth — subscription and daily reminder service; competitive cash prices on generics.
• GoodRx + local pharmacy or Walmart/CVS generics — using coupons you can often get commonly prescribed generics for a single-month supply for as little as $4–20 (varies by pill and pharmacy).
• Planned Parenthood clinics — sliding-scale or low-cost care for uninsured patients in many areas.

Other practical tips

• Before ordering, check the provider’s “insurance” or FAQs and enter your insurer/plan (or call the service). Also ask if they bill Medicaid if you have it.
• Compare total out-of-pocket: cost of telehealth visit + prescription fill. Some services bundle visit and meds, others separate them.
• If cost is the main issue, check Planned Parenthood and community health centers (sliding scale) and use GoodRx or a discount pharmacy.
• If you’d like, tell me: your state and whether you have private insurance, employer coverage, or Medicaid — I can check a few providers and list the likely lowest-cost options for you.