Frequently Asked Questions About Birth Control

What method is right for Me?

• To review what is available, check out: http://www.birth-control-comparison.info/
• To help determine which method works for you the best, check out: http://www.arhp.org/methodmatch
• Take this quiz: (It takes several minutes. Please print out the results and bring them with you to your appointment). http://bestmethodforme.com
• To discuss your choices with a live person, call 650-3400 and ask to have an appointment with a “female health” educator, check out: http://www.wwu.edu/chw/preventionandwellness, and click on “sexual health”
  and then click on “female health educator”

 

How do I get Hormonal Birth Control at the Student Health Center?

Consider first:

1:  Do I have health insurance that will help pay for birth control?

If so, find out which birth control methods your insurance will cover. If you have  “Group Health” insurance, the Health Center may be able to bill your insurance.

2: Where do I wish to buy the method?
Do I wish to purchase them from the Student Health Center?

Some women find it easier to buy a birth control method on campus at the Student Health center, and have the charge go on their student account.  A receipt for these charges can be obtained if she wishes to bill her insurance company herself.
Some women wish to buy their method from SHC, but prefer to pay for their method by buying “Health Bucks”*,  thus avoiding charges on their student account.

…Or would I rather purchase them through an outside pharmacy?

Some women who have health insurance prefer to have their prescription filled at a pharmacy in the community, or a mail-order pharmacy, so that the pharmacy can bill their insurance company for them.

3: How do I get a prescription?

SHC has not previously prescribed hormonal contraceptives for me:

-OR-

It has been over one year since my last prescription from SHC:

A: Call 650-3400 and ask to make an appointment for a “birth control start”. This will be a brief appointment to discuss your needs and concerns, and review your medical history. Please fill out the online “Women’s Health Screening” first.  A short term prescription birth control prescription may then be given.

OR

B: Call 650-3400 and ask to make an “annual” appointment, at which time a more complete exam (including a pap smear if indicated) can be done, and a longer term prescription may be given.  Please fill out the online “Women’s Health Questionnaire” before this appointment:  https://www.ihealthinterview.com/wwu/interview/patient.asp  
Your health history will be reviewed at the appointment.  If you have had a pap smear done somewhere else within the last 12 months, it would be helpful to have those records sent to the Health Center.

I already had my once-a-year visit with the Health Center this year, but need refills. What do I do?

There may be refills available for you already at the pharmacy where you first got your pill/ring/patch. In this case, call your pharmacy to ask for refills.

If you are due for your next Depo Provera shot, call 650-3400 to make an appointment for this.

If you bought your hormonal contraceptives originally from SHC, there may be refills waiting for you here.  To pick up refills from us, please send a “web view” message requesting your refill, and allow 24 (business day) hours. We will message you back and in most cases we will place your pills up front at the reception desk, for you to pick up.  In some cases, a nurse may ask you have a brief blood pressure check first.

 

What do I do if I’ve Missed pills or am late using birth control?

 

* Health Bucks: If you prefer to not have certain charges go on your student account, you may purchase “Health Bucks” at the cashier’s office in Old Main. These can be purchased in any amount that you specify. To know how many Health Bucks to buy, ask your nurse or doctor what charges are being made at the time of your visit. To avoid charges on your account, you must bring in the “Health Bucks” to the reception desk of the Student Health Center before 4:00 on the same day of your visit (the day that the charges were incurred). The charges will then be erased in trade for the “Health Bucks”.