Earlier this month, the administration rolled back the ACA mandate that required the full cost of birth control to be covered by insurance. Under Trump’s agenda, employers can opt out of providing this coverage for “religious” or even “moral” reasons, impacting hundreds of thousands of women.
Nurx, makers of the birth control app, are offering new users up to two months of free birth control with the promo code ‘CHECKYOURFACTS’ today until the end of the year. The telemedicine start-up and mobile health platform makes birth control and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) more accessible to everyone through partnerships with physicians and in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability Act of 1996 (HIPPA).
Recently, anti-abortion activists have become increasingly vocal against Nurx’s expansion into conservative states. The attacks have been made specifically to the app’s ability to prescribe emergency contraceptives to minors without a parent’s consent.
NC Coalition for life said in a statement “Nurx is dangerous, because it provides another way for children under the age of 18 to obtain contraceptives without the knowledge or consent of their parents.” However, Nurx defers to state laws surrounding minimum age for birth control prescriptions which in some states is 12 years of age.
This recent expansion falls in line with Nurx’s mission to provide safe, affordable and increased access to contraceptives and emergency contraceptives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention credited increased access to low-cost services as a contributing factor to the overall decline in teen and unintended pregnancy rates nationwide. But according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, more than 19.7 million females ages 13 to 44 reside in “contraceptive deserts” and lack reasonable access to public clinics that provide birth control. This is defined areas with at least one clinic or provider for every 1,000 women.
“Research shows that the easier and more affordable birth control is, the more women will use it,” said Dr. Edvard Engesaeth, co-founder of Nurx. “Individuals should not have to jump through unnecessary hoops in order to access care. With Nurx, we are changing the way birth control is issued and accessed and allowing women to get the care they need on their own terms.”
New users will receive a $30 credit or two months of no-cost birth control with the promo code. After choosing their birth control brand and type, users answer a few questions and enter their shipping and insurance information for a licensed physician to review. Once the review is complete, the doctor will issue and fill the prescription, which will be delivered on-time and at no additional cost. The promo code ‘CHECKYOURFACTS’ can be entered during checkout until 11:59 PM (PT) on December 31st, 2017.
To download Nurx on Apple and Android devices, visit nurx.com. For more information, follow @NurxApp on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
