Talking about being out of touch. Stupid is as stupid does

Sandra Fluke Says She Didn't Know Target Sells Birth Control Pills for $9

(CNSNews.com) – Thirty-year-old Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke, who told a House Steering and Policy Committee hearing convened by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi last month that contraception can cost a student $3,000 during law school, told CNSNews.com on Tuesday that she did not know that the Target store 3 miles from the Georgetown Law campus sells a month's supply of birth control pills for just $9.

Target advertises the $9-per-month birth control pills on its website, and CNSNews.com confirmed and reconfirmed that the $9 pills were in fact available at the Target near Georgetown Law.

“Without insurance coverage, contraception can cost a woman over $3,000 during law school," Fluke testified before Pelosi's panel.

"For a lot of students who, like me, are on public interest scholarships, that’s practically an entire summer’s salary," Fluke testified. "Forty percent of female students at Georgetown Law report struggling financially as a result of this policy.”

“Just last week, a married female student told me she had to stop using contraception because she couldn’t afford it any longer,” Fluke testified. “Women employed in low-wage jobs without contraceptive coverage face the same choice. You might respond that contraception is accessible in lots of other ways. Unfortunately, that's not true.”

On Tuesday, Fluke spoke at an event at the U.S. Capitol in celebration of women’s history month. After the event, CNSNews.com asked Fluke: “Were you aware of the Target store that’s 3 miles from Georgetown Law that sells a month’s supply of birth control pills for $9 a month without insurance coverage? Were you aware of that?”

Fluke said: “So, I’m not familiar with specific department store policies. I know that some generic forms of contraception are less expensive than others and that that has been widely reported. But what has not been widely reported is that many women cannot use those forms of contraception.”

“Women have different types of medical needs that require much more expensive forms,” she said. “One woman contacted me. She was very, very upset that that quote was being emphasized because she has a genetic condition that requires her to use contraception that costs $1,500.”

“So, this is medicine,” said Fluke. “It’s not one-size-fits-all, and while it’s great that some women can access more affordable contraception, contraception needs to be accessible and affordable for all of the women who need all of the different kinds.”

Birth control pills. (AP Photo)

CNSNews.com had initially reported on Mar. 5 that the pharmacy at the Target 3 miles from the Georgetown Law campus offers a month's supply of Tri-Sprintec, the generic form of the birth-control pill Ortho Tri-Cyclen, for $9 for people without health insurance coverage for the pills.

In addition, CNSNews.com confirmed that a CVS pharmacy only two blocks from the Georgetown Law campus sells a month’s supply of the same generic birth control pills for $33.

Tri-Sprintec is an FDA-approved prescription drug. The Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) says it is for "prevention of pregnancy" and “treatment of moderate acne” in women 15 and older.