Cutting the price of birth control in college health clinics

U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asking that she support "appropriate legislation" to reduce the cost of birth control in college health clinics. According to the online newsletter American Health Line (5/21/2007), 92 other lawmakers joined Crowley in support, and added their signatures to the letter.

A 2005 change in a Medicaid law reduced incentives for drug companies to provide large discounts for medicines to universities. As a result, many colleges must pay more for contraceptives since the law took effect in January and pass the added cost to students. The American College Health Association supports creating an exemption in the law for college health centers.