Maine passes law allowing 12 month supply of birth control.

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WVUPharm2007

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CA passed a similar law last year. I don't work retail so I haven't parsed through the details, but a friend of mine finally found a pharmacist willing to dispense 12 months worth of birth control and of course insurance wouldn't cover it.

I know she went ham on the insurance company, but no idea where things ended up.


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California does not have an explicit day-supply limit on any prescription, controlled or otherwise. If people wanted a year's supply of anything before these types of laws went into effect, how about they pay out-of-pocket?

All of the plans I've seen, managed Medicaid or otherwise, do cover at least three months of OCP now (many Medicaid plans cover only 30 days typically) but I haven't run into an Rx with enough total fills to cover 12 months yet.
 
How do we get people to treat healthcare in general like womens reproductive health? Could you imagine a million woman march for affordable asthma drugs? People's faces lighting up and Twitter thumbs a flailing for no copay hypertension and diabetes treatment? The righteous indignation needs to be directed at something more important than literally just birth control. Like, seriously...wtf...why am I the only person on the planet that realizes how ridiculous this is?
 
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both this law and the requirement that employer plans cover it is improper

We got this approved for a couple patients. Seems kind of stupid because one of the patients already lost her 12 month supply of birth control and asked us to get a lost med over-ride for 12months more.
 
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How do we get people to treat healthcare in general like womens reproductive health? Could you imagine a million woman march for affordable asthma drugs? People's faces lighting up and Twitter thumbs a flailing for no copay hypertension and diabetes treatment? The righteous indignation needs to be directed at something more important than literally just birth control. Like, seriously...wtf...why am I the only person on the planet that realizes how ridiculous this is?
"something more important than literally just birth control"

Uh... Birth control is literally the most society-shaping advent of the 20th century. Having control of not having kids you're not ready for or cannot support is probably literally the most important health care issue of women of reproductive age.
 
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"something more important than literally just birth control"

Uh... Birth control is literally the most society-shaping advent of the 20th century. Having control of not having kids you're not ready for or cannot support is probably literally the most important health care issue of women of reproductive age.

No it isn't. You are competing with the nuclear bomb, the electrical grid, and the internet on this one.

Yeah, I get it, your well conditioned bellwether went off and you feel like you have to defend this with ridiculous hyperbole. I'm not attacking the availability of free birth control. I'm questioning how nutty it is that womens' reproductive health is the only area people seem to give a rat's ass about affordability and access to care while people literally die of real medical problems.
 
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No it isn't. You are competing with the nuclear bomb, the electrical grid, and the internet on this one.

Yeah, I get it, your well conditioned bellwether went off and you feel like you have to defend this with ridiculous hyperbole. I'm not attacking the availability of free birth control. I'm questioning how nutty it is that womens' reproductive health is the only area people seem to give a rat's ass about affordability and access to care while people literally die of real medical problems.
I however, am attacking "free" anything via taxes. People should buy their own stuff or solicit charity
 
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Maine passes law to allow 12-month supply of birth control | Sun Journal

Apparently the women of Maine can't be bothered to go to a pharmacy once a month and need special privilege everyone else taking prescription medications doesn't need for some reason.

I'm confused as to what your concern about a medication that doesn't need more than yearly surveillance being dispensed for that entire period of time? Perhaps this will be the start of several medications that do not require close monitoring or dosing titration that could be dispensed at 6 or 12 month a time intervals.

Won't this make your job easier if you just have to fill your BC patient's meds once a year. My time in a pharmacy was a while ago, but as I remember, they come pre-packaged so there is no need to count out 364 tablets.
 
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No it isn't. You are competing with the nuclear bomb, the electrical grid, and the internet on this one.

Yeah, I get it, your well conditioned bellwether went off and you feel like you have to defend this with ridiculous hyperbole. I'm not attacking the availability of free birth control. I'm questioning how nutty it is that womens' reproductive health is the only area people seem to give a rat's ass about affordability and access to care while people literally die of real medical problems.
I would disagree- both control completely changed family and social structures in a way nuclear bombs, the internet, and the electrical grid didn't. Family sizes plummeted, marriage age skyrocketed, sexual habits changed drastically- birth control rewrote society. I'd probably have literally ten kids right now without it lol, instead I have (thankfully) zero. And we've got proof of the difference it makes just by analyzing countries before and after birth control becomes widely available.
 
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And the nuclear bomb led to the most peaceful era in human history. The computer /internet has also caused a much larger societal shift.

It's fine we can disagree.
 
I'm confused as to what your concern about a medication that doesn't need more than yearly surveillance being dispensed for that entire period of time? Perhaps this will be the start of several medications that do not require close monitoring or dosing titration that could be dispensed at 6 or 12 month a time intervals.

Won't this make your job easier if you just have to fill your BC patient's meds once a year. My time in a pharmacy was a while ago, but as I remember, they come pre-packaged so there is no need to count out 364 tablets.

Why do people think I am against this? I don't really care. Do people read the things I actually type?
 
I would disagree- both control completely changed family and social structures in a way nuclear bombs, the internet, and the electrical grid didn't. Family sizes plummeted, marriage age skyrocketed, sexual habits changed drastically- birth control rewrote society. I'd probably have literally ten kids right now without it lol, instead I have (thankfully) zero. And we've got proof of the difference it makes just by analyzing countries before and after birth control becomes widely available.

Didn't realize birth control was the only way to not have a kid. I've been having sex for 12 years and since married have used the pull out method. No kiddos for me yet.
 
Didn't realize birth control was the only way to not have a kid. I've been having sex for 12 years and since married have used the pull out method. No kiddos for me yet.
It's not the only way, but it's by far the most effective way. Widespread contraceptive use in Mexico was found to cut fertility rates by 40% compared to other methods, and have been shown to eliminate a third of teen pregnancies in industrialized nations.
 
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This is BS. So a woman can get an entire year of birth control but John Doe is still stuck with 30 days at a time because of their insurance? Why should they play by different rules?
 
We got this approved for a couple patients. Seems kind of stupid because one of the patients already lost her 12 month supply of birth control and asked us to get a lost med over-ride for 12months more.

LOL!!!! Got my 3 month supply for the first time. Two months in and I have no clue where that 3 pack is :laugh:
 
And the nuclear bomb led to the most peaceful era in human history. The computer /internet has also caused a much larger societal shift.

It's fine we can disagree.
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There's been hundreds of armed conflicts since WWII, I'd hardly call things peaceful. Hell, they haven't even been peaceful for the United States. As to the computer, it has caused a lot of changes, but if you look at developing nations that have both computers and birth control, the one that has the bigger impact by far is birth control- family sizes drop from 7 kids to 3 or 4 in a matter of years, while incomes and lifestyles are barely changed by the introduction of information technology and computers.
 
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Earth: 248 armed conflicts after WW2; US started 201 (81%), killing 30 million so far. Arrests are when now?

There's been 248 armed conflicts since WWII, I'd hardly call things peaceful. Hell, they haven't even been peaceful for the United States. As to the computer, it has caused a lot of changes, but if you look at developing nations that have both computers and birth control, the one that has the bigger impact by far is birth control- family sizes drop from 7 kids to 3 or 4 in a matter of years, while incomes and lifestyles are barely changed by the introduction of information technology and computers.

Oh lord, I was going along with your argument until I actually clicked the link. Do you have a source that doesn't wear a tin-foil hat?
 
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Oh god, sorry, that was the wrong link. I was looking for the Washington Post blog about this, not some tinfoil bat**** insanity. Here's a paper on conflicts until 2014 that that craziness was derived from.

SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class journal research

Much better, LMAO.

It's an interesting topic for sure. I won't pretend to be an expert but the last 'scholarly' thing I read on it was by Steven Pinker. He gave a great Ted Talk about it:



Pretty much argues that we are living in the most peaceful times in our species history and that our tolerance for violence is lower than it has even been. It's a very optimistic view on human development and perhaps that is why it is so appealing. Who doesn't want to believe that as a species we are heading towards peace?
 
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There's been hundreds of armed conflicts since WWII, I'd hardly call things peaceful. Hell, they haven't even been peaceful for the United States. As to the computer, it has caused a lot of changes, but if you look at developing nations that have both computers and birth control, the one that has the bigger impact by far is birth control- family sizes drop from 7 kids to 3 or 4 in a matter of years, while incomes and lifestyles are barely changed by the introduction of information technology and computers.

Correlation isn't causation. A shift from the agricultural to industrialized to whatever it is we are now economy has more to do with declining birth rates. People just don't want kids. I get that birth control helps this, but what the **** does that have to do with my point. This is just a stupid tangent.
 
Not terribly surprised, and it's fine, really. The only problem is that the women you want to have take birth control tend not to. This is a better state of affairs than the two women (who were not in the oldest profession) that came every three weeks to my old pharmacy while I was an intern for Plan B repeatedly (dispensed 19 to one of them in a year). Couldn't be bothered to take the pill reliably, afraid of Depo-Provera, and while I don't find the idea of Plan B against my ethics, I do not like to think through the implications of dispensing it so often to one person. I did it, and continued when I was in practice, but it doesn't exactly feel that clean.

Didn't realize birth control was the only way to not have a kid. I've been having sex for 12 years and since married have used the pull out method. No kiddos for me yet.

(Not sarcastic, not joking) Have you checked your and your wife's fertility lately (I am assuming you aren't homosexual or pansexual, in which case, why bother with the pullout)? You might not even need to do that as possibly with that sort of track record, one of you would have me suspicious about being infertile. It's really hard to do it that consistently and there are pre-emissions that are viable normally. Kudos to discipline if both of you are actually viable.
 
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No it isn't. You are competing with the nuclear bomb, the electrical grid, and the internet on this one.
...and vaccines, antibiotics, transportation that doesn't involve water/tracks/horses, refrigeration, and plenty of others, too.

Not to mention that the original issue was regarding outpatient dispensed birth control. Even without special protections for getting a year's supply of that, there are still IUDs and intradermal options that last years. And even if we regard those as somehow lumped into this argument, there are barrier methods of contraception used by either gender.
 
I hope the pharmacist checks the expiration date on the packs before dispensing them!

LOL

Hell hath no fury like a big haired mom coming in to make a complaint about their kids' birth control.
 
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I agree with you fully, but being the a-hole for details that I am...

It's not the only way, but it's by far the most effective way. Widespread contraceptive use in Mexico was found to cut fertility rates by 40% compared to other methods, and have been shown to eliminate a third of teen pregnancies in industrialized nations.

The failure rate after a vasectomy is approximately 2 out of 10,000. I like those odds :)
 
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I agree with you fully, but being the a-hole for details that I am...



The failure rate after a vasectomy is approximately 2 out of 10,000. I like those odds :)
Sorry, should have been more clear- it's the most effective way that's easily reversible.
 
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I'm still failing to see what, exactly, the problem is though- what's the problem with 12 months of birth control pills?
 
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I'm still failing to see what, exactly, the problem is though- what's the problem with 12 months of birth control pills?

The problem, as far as I can tell, is why should women get any kind of special treatment? Why do I have to pick up my allopurinol every 90 days but any female in Maine can get a years supply of BC at once? Totally unjust! She should have to go to the pharmacy every 90 days just like the rest of us!
 
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The problem, as far as I can tell, is why should women get any kind of special treatment? Why do I have to pick up my allopurinol every 90 days but any female in Maine can get a years supply of BC at once? Totally unjust! She should have to go to the pharmacy every 90 days just like the rest of us!
I mean, I'd be cool with you getting your allopurinol once a year too. I can't see any reason why not with common long-term use, low-risk meds.
 
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I do not see how this is necessarily a "bad thing"; insurance being a major roadblock has always been an issue with compliance. Less vacation overrides and less frequent auto renewals = less tediously redundant work.

Sure by the numbers it means less # of scripts (these #s are always flawed) and corporate slashing what little tech hours left, but what else is new? Yeah, I would envision non controls could fall into this arena eventually
 
Not terribly surprised, and it's fine, really. The only problem is that the women you want to have take birth control tend not to. This is a better state of affairs than the two women (who were not in the oldest profession) that came every three weeks to my old pharmacy while I was an intern for Plan B repeatedly (dispensed 19 to one of them in a year). Couldn't be bothered to take the pill reliably, afraid of Depo-Provera, and while I don't find the idea of Plan B against my ethics, I do not like to think through the implications of dispensing it so often to one person. I did it, and continued when I was in practice, but it doesn't exactly feel that clean.



(Not sarcastic, not joking) Have you checked your and your wife's fertility lately (I am assuming you aren't homosexual or pansexual, in which case, why bother with the pullout)? You might not even need to do that as possibly with that sort of track record, one of you would have me suspicious about being infertile. It's really hard to do it that consistently and there are pre-emissions that are viable normally. Kudos to discipline if both of you are actually viable.


No not yet, if we don't get pregnant after we start trying we will get checked. I mean you really can only get pregnant one week out of the month. Granted before getting married (past 2 years) there was always another method used but rarely was it actually birth control
 
So alzheimer patients...who legitimately would have problems remembering to get monthly medications...they don't get this special once a year exemption... **** them...but Jesus Christ...a woman in her prime physical years having the inconvenience of going through a drive thru one a month in order to have less worrisome, condomless sex...wtf kind of barbarism is that? She needs to get a year supply. Obviously. Contact the legislators!

Why am I apparently the only person that sees the absurdity?
 
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So alzheimer patients...who legitimately would have problems remembering to get monthly medications...they don't get this special once a year exemption... **** them...but Jesus Christ...a woman in her prime physical years having the inconvenience of going through a drive thru one a month in order to have less worrisome, condomless sex...wtf kind of barbarism is that? She needs to get a year supply. Obviously. Contact the legislators!

Why am I apparently the only person that sees the absurdity?
I actually love the idea of dispensing 12 months of birth control at a time. Assuming she's not high risk for DVT or stroke and is compliant and not having issues, I don't have much reason to have her coming by the pharmacy regularly. I'd rather spend my time counseling and helping patients with high risks or high needs. Monthly birth control is just basically frustrating for most everyone. Most formulations probably should be some form of OTC anyway.

What I do think is funny are the complaints about birth control costs and making sure all birth control is completely covered. The pill is seriously dirt cheap compared to just about everything else at the pharmacy. Even if you had to pay full cash price, it wouldn't be much of a hurdle for anybody not already on Medical Assistance as long as you don't insist on some wacky brand name. Granted Nuvaring is still expensive, but that's not that common, either.
 
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So alzheimer patients...who legitimately would have problems remembering to get monthly medications...they don't get this special once a year exemption... **** them...but Jesus Christ...a woman in her prime physical years having the inconvenience of going through a drive thru one a month in order to have less worrisome, condomless sex...wtf kind of barbarism is that? She needs to get a year supply. Obviously. Contact the legislators!

Why am I apparently the only person that sees the absurdity?
It is absurd in my opinion. I'm not bothered by the year of BC but the double standard trying to make it all "free" and now covered for a year is misguided and seemingly places hormonal contraceptive on a special pedestal compared to people with legitimate medical needs.
 
The purpose (generally) of the meds described above are to improve the lives of the person taking the medication. Generally, the point of BC pills are to decrease the population of those not ready/wanting to have children and to hopefully decrease the societal burden. Im sure you could develop individual cases that would improve from this policy as well, but its hard to think of one that can applied as broadly.

People that get upset about this usually fall along libertarian views and people who think its great are usually politically rightly leaning. Imagine that.
 
The purpose (generally) of the meds described above are to improve the lives of the person taking the medication. Generally, the point of BC pills are to decrease the population of those not ready/wanting to have children and to hopefully decrease the societal burden. Im sure you could develop individual cases that would improve from this policy as well, but its hard to think of one that can applied as broadly.

People that get upset about this usually fall along libertarian views and people who think its great are usually politically rightly leaning. Imagine that.
You are right about libertarians not liking govt interference (me). But i think you are off in claiming that right leaning folks are more likely to cheer for govt enforcing 12month prescriptions of govt enforced coverage for birth control
 
So alzheimer patients...who legitimately would have problems remembering to get monthly medications...they don't get this special once a year exemption... **** them...but Jesus Christ...a woman in her prime physical years having the inconvenience of going through a drive thru one a month in order to have less worrisome, condomless sex...wtf kind of barbarism is that? She needs to get a year supply. Obviously. Contact the legislators!

Why am I apparently the only person that sees the absurdity?

Why not be mad at the legislators who haven't taken other patients/medications into consideration instead of being mad at women who want BC?
 
The problem, as far as I can tell, is why should women get any kind of special treatment? Why do I have to pick up my allopurinol every 90 days but any female in Maine can get a years supply of BC at once? Totally unjust! She should have to go to the pharmacy every 90 days just like the rest of us!

They are trying to prevent them from going 2 miles up the road to Canada to buy them.


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have used the pull out method.

If sex were just rubbing it around a little and not getting to the finish line, then

what. is. the. f*cking. point.

(pun intended)
 
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I think its a great idea to let women get 12 months of birth control all at one time. That is of course, therapy isn't going to change every 3 months.

As long as the birth control works for the woman, and there are no side effects that need to be addressed, there is no need for them to go to the pharmacy every 1 month or every 3 months. They can safely get 1 year of medication and make a yearly doctor's appointment just to make sure things are going okay.

Have you tried to get a prescription filled lately? Usually I just take whatever I need for my mom from the independent I work at. Metformin ER, losartan, and atorvastatin. I take about 6 months supply at a time. Anyways, I tried being a good boy for once and her insurance required 90 days supply at Walgreens. I called in everything to Walgreens. The god damn fu*king mess of Walgreens. I called the Rx in, and 2 days later it wasn't even filled. Then they tell me her insurance expired. I said "No, check again, I gave it myself over the phone." Then it magically worked. Then it was going to be another 15 minutes to fill these medications. Mind you, its 1am in the morning and nobody else is in the store. Then one of her medications is refill too soon, and the guy tells me mandatory mail order. I work in a fu*king pharmacy bro. I know when you are bull****ting me. Her lame as* OptumRx was filling the prescriptions without her approval, and it was refill too soon, and did not require mail order.

I'm about to call Optum now and blast their as*.

Anyways, going to one of these stores simply to pick up a prescription is like pulling teeth. It's a mess. For no reason its a complicated process. All I want is fu*king communication from the pharmacy to the patient regarding the prescription, and not via a phone call or having to wait 5 minutes on hold. I want real time communication or an email letting me know what the issue is and how it will be resolved, and I want to know the status of everything.

That's the problem in pharmacy. I'm sick of patients having to guess if their doctor called in their prescription or not. I'm sick of people not knowing if their medication is filled or not, and if not, not knowing why it can't be filled. I am sick of prescriptions being filled, and patients not knowing what is waiting for them. All these are addressable issues now that CVS and Walgreens can fix, and if they don't, Amazon will eat them alive simply using common sense.

So now I'm back to taking the medicine from the pharmacy I work at and just billing for something else like and Avair. Good thing its a private insurance. Thanks Optum for the free money, you useless piece of shi*.
 
What is the ****ing point of days supply limits? If the doctor considers someone to be on a stable dose, why not just prescribe a year supply and force insurance companies to pay for it so they don't have to go to the pharmacy every month or every three months?
 
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