Well, maybe. Writing for The Daily Beast, Dr. Kent Sepkowitz explains the hidden cost of making the pill available without a prescription:
Yes, your life is easier because you will be able to get the pill right this second, without calling my office. No, you don’t need to fill out forms and show insurance cards and wrangle over copay. But guess who is paying for the whole shabang? You. Yes, you.
Sepkowitz is probably right that the out-of-pocket cost for the pill may rise. But he is overlooking the cost of the preventative care appointment required to obtain a prescription and trivializing the hardship of scheduling and attending those appointments. For low-income women, who are among those at highest risk for unplanned pregnancy, those costs are significant.
In any case, I’m always going to support ease of access to contraception.