Is there a free or low cost way to get birth control online?

Yes, there are several excellent free or low-cost ways to get birth control online, often through telehealth services. These services typically offer virtual consultations and then mail your birth control directly to you.

Here are some specific brands and services to consider:

1. Planned Parenthood Direct (or local Planned Parenthood via telehealth):

   • Why: Planned Parenthood is a long-standing provider of affordable reproductive healthcare. Many local Planned Parenthood clinics now offer telehealth appointments, and in some states, they have the Planned Parenthood Direct app or online service. They operate on a sliding scale fee system based on your income, making services very low-cost or even free for eligible individuals. They also accept most insurance plans, which can cover the cost entirely.

2. Nurx:

   • Why: Nurx is a popular online telehealth platform that allows you to get birth control prescriptions and refills from the comfort of your home. You fill out a health questionnaire, a doctor reviews it, and if appropriate, they write a prescription that is then mailed to you. Nurx accepts most major insurance plans, which often makes your birth control free (you may only pay a small co-pay for the consultation, if any). For those without insurance, they offer competitive cash prices for both the consultation (around $15-$25 for the initial consultation) and the medication, with generic pills often starting around $15-$20 per month. They also frequently have promotions.

3. Twentyeight Health:

   • Why: Similar to Nurx, Twentyeight Health is another online platform focused on increasing access to birth control. They offer online consultations with licensed doctors and ship birth control directly to your door. They accept many insurance plans, which can lead to free birth control, and for uninsured individuals, they offer affordable cash pay options. They are also known for donating supplies to those in need.

4. Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs:

   • Why: While not a prescribing service itself, if you get a prescription from an online telehealth provider (like Nurx or Planned Parenthood Direct), you can check if your birth control medication is available through Cost Plus Drugs. This online pharmacy, founded by Mark Cuban, offers significantly lower cash prices for many generic medications, often cutting out the pharmacy benefit manager markups. You'll still need to pay for the initial online consultation to get the prescription, but the cost of the medication itself could be much lower here.

Tips for finding the most affordable option:

• Check your insurance: Most services will ask for your insurance information upfront to give you an accurate cost estimate.
• Compare consultation fees: Even if the birth control itself is free with insurance, some services may charge a small fee for the online consultation.
• Look for generics: Generic birth control pills are just as effective as brand-name versions but are significantly cheaper. All these services offer generics.