Contraception (Birth Control)
Columbia Health offers education and prescriptions for contraception (commonly called birth control). If you’re interested in receiving contraception through Columbia Health, begin by contacting Medical Services at 212-854-7426 or attending Sexual & Reproductive Health Drop-in Visits with Alice! Health Promotion.
Contraception at Columbia Health
Columbia Health offers many forms of contraception, also known as birth control, to their students.
Medical Services can prescribe birth control pills, patches, and rings. They can also insert intrauterine devices and implants.
Alice! Health Promotion offers Sexual & Reproductive Health Visits, where students may learn about different forms of birth control, and which may be the best fit for them. This includes over-the-counter options as well.
Who is eligible?
Medical and lab services are available to all students who have paid the full-time Columbia Health and Related Services fee on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses, including those at Teachers College, Union Theological Seminary, and Jewish Theological Seminary.
For those who have not paid the full-time Columbia Health and Related Services fee, please email Alice! Health Promotion at [email protected] or call 212-854-5453 for support.
How do I access contraception?
If you’d like to have an IUD or Implant inserted at Medical Services, you may call 212-854-7426 to learn more about appointment availability. If you’re interested in other forms of prescription contraception, you may schedule an appointment with a medical provider through the Columbia Health Patient Portal.
If you’d like to receive a prescription for birth control or have a device inserted off-campus, you may request a referral. You can send your primary care provider a secure message on the Patient Portal.
Additionally, Columbia Health provides free condoms for students. You can learn more about the locations and what is available on the Safer Sex Supplies and Menstruation Products page.
How much will it cost?
The cost of the birth control will depend on your insurance.
If you are on the Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan (Columbia Plan), you can get an IUD or Implant inserted at Columbia Health with no additional fees.
If you’re not on the Columbia Plan, you can have an IUD or Implant inserted at Columbia Health if you pay out-of-pocket. You may request reimbursement from your insurance company. Otherwise, you may be referred to an outside clinic, and all costs associated with the appointment and insertion will be determined by your insurance company.
What else do I need to know?
Appointments for IUD and Implant insertions are limited.
When you come to an appointment for birth control, please have an idea of what type of contraception you’re interested in. If you’re unsure which birth control method you’d like to use, you may attend Sexual & Reproductive Health Visits to learn more.
Where can I learn more about these topics?
You can learn more about the contraception options that are available through Columbia’s Health Q&A resource, Go Ask Alice!, which has several fact sheets related to birth control.