THE UNIVERSITY DAIRY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18. 2008
SEX ON THE HILL
3D
Photo illustration by Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
STUDENTS CUT CONTRACEPTIVES FOR OTHER EXPEN$E$
BY LAUREN CUNNINGHAM
lcunningham@kansan.com
With the expense of living currently on the rise for many college students because of a weak economy, maintaining a healthy sex life is becoming harder.
Students must budget their money for contraceptives along with other necessities such as groceries, tuition, gas and utilities.
According to Cathy Thrasher, chief pharmacist at Watkins Memorial Health Center, the coverage of birth control pills varies by everyone's insurance plans. However, she said generic prescriptions generally had a more affordable co-pay.
cost.
The Wichita junior said that while her insurance covered most of the cost, it did not cover all of it. She has switched to NuvaRing, which costs her less than $25 a month.
Despite the cost of contraceptives, college students should be advised to put the necessary money forth to ensure safe sex.
Myles Davidson, Newton junior, said that regardless of expenses, he didn't mind putting out the money for contraceptives.
"It's something that has to happen," he said. "It's hard but it has to be done. You can't put a price on safe sex."
month for brand prescriptions.
She also said that it became complicated to determine how much some insurance companies would help to cover when brand prescriptions signed contracts with the insurance companies.
This means that an insurance company will usually guide its policyholders to use a certain brand. When someone does not want to use that specific brand, the company won't cover as large of a percentage of the cost of an alternative.
Condoms are also a justified investment when considering the
dangers of unprotected sex. On average, a box of three condoms is about $5. A box of 12 condoms costs about $13.
At Watkins, students can buy three condoms for 50 cents.
"A couple of dollars extra shouldn't really matter. Condoms are important for STIs becoming higher on campuses," Davidson said.
According to Trojancondoms. com, Americans annually have more than 3 million unintended pregnancies, 19 million STIs and more than 1 billion unprotected sex acts.
So, in the scheme of things, dishing out a few more dollars just to buy some condoms really pays off in the long run.
Students can either sacrifice their sex lives to help pay the rent, or still enjoy a sex life while budgeting in a little extra for safe sex practices.
"Just because you may not have the extra money, the consequences of not spending the money on contraceptives are far too great to ignore," Davidson said.
Edited by Kelsey Hayes
WOULD YOU RATHER...
Would you rather sleep with Rosie O'Donnell or an animal?
"Rosie."
TRIGG EDWARDS
— John Heick, Astoria, Oregon freshman
Would you rather have sex on the floor and get rug burn or have sex on a bench and get splinters?
"That's funny you ask, because I just had sex on the floor this morning and got rug burn. I would definitely pick rug burn. Ew, splinters!"
— Meghan Burns, Overland Park freshman
ANDREA BLACK
NO BUTTS ABOUT IT, THE BEST TAN AROUND.