FAQ's
Birth Control Coverage @ Georgetown
If I'm on Georgetown's Health Insurance, is my birth control covered?
Under the Affordable Care Act, almost all employers are required to include birth control in their health insurance plans as a covered expense. According to the 2016-2017 Premier Plan Brochure, coverage for contraceptives is paid for and provided by the insurance company that underwrites the plan, United Healthcare, and not by the University itself. For more information visit the Student Health Center's FAQ page.
Can I pick up my birth control prescription at Georgetown Medstar's pharmacy?
No, the Georgetown Medstar pharmacy does not fill prescriptions for any form of contraception. CVS (1403 Wisconsin Ave NW) is the closest pharmacy that will fill your birth control prescription, but the Student Health Center can also send your prescription to any other location that is convenient for you. For more information visit the Student Health Center's FAQ page.
What could happen to my birth control coverage under Trumpcare?
The Trump administration is planning to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s birth control mandate, essentially allowing any religiously affiliated employer, including hospitals and universities, to remove birth control from its list of covered benefits. This change would allow Georgetown to deny students and employees who use any of the University’s health insurance plans their access to affordable birth control. H*yas for Choice is monitoring this issue and will continue to provide accurate and timely updates. We strive to keep the student body informed and will not let any rollback in coverage to go forward unopposed. Read more here.
Access to Condoms & Barrier Methods
Can I get condoms for free on campus?
Due to its Catholic affiliation, Georgetown does not permit the sale of condoms on campus. H*yas for Choice is here to address your sexual and reproductive health needs that the University fails to serve by offering internal, external, and oral condoms to any community member, anytime, no questions asked, completely free of cost. You can find us tabling in Red Square (the Leavey Center during rain, snow, and extreme cold) Monday through Friday. Don’t feel like leaving your dorm? H*yas for Choice also supplies a group of representatives with condoms to hang on the doors of their on-campus rooms, for you to take anonymously without even putting your shoes on. Most residence halls have multiple condom representatives – often, one on every floor. See a small yellow envelope hanging in the hallways? It’s probably full of condoms, free for you to take whenever you like. You can also request free condoms that will be delivered straight to your dorm room from our Condom Fairy by filling out this form: http://tinyurl.com/HFCcondomfairyform. The Condom Fairy makes deliveries approximately once a week and will deliver up to ten condoms at a time.
If HFC is unrecognized and receives no university funding, how do you get condoms & lube to distribute on campus?
H*yas for Choice is sustained entirely through fundraising and generous donations from local organizations, students, parents, faculty, and alumni. Every semester, H*yas for Choice receives thousands of condoms through Advocates for Youth’s Great American Condom Campaign (GACC), which is aimed directly at allowing students whose universities do not make them available to distribute condoms free of cost. H*yas for Choice also supplements the GACC with the free and comprehensive products provided by the District of Columbia Department of Health.
Other Sexual Health Resources
Is there free, confidential STI testing on-campus?
The Georgetown Student Health Center does offer comprehensive STI testing, although the cost of this service will depend on your insurance. Unfortunately, the Student Health Center can not guarantee confidentiality if you are covered by your parent’s insurance because your parents may get a statement detailing the tests run during your visit. Confidentiality can only be guaranteed if you are insured through Georgetown’s student insurance or you pay out of pocket. However, the university sponsors a free and confidential HIV screening approximately once a semester, so stay tuned with H*yas for Choice to find out when the next one will be. For more information visit the Student Health Center's FAQ page.
Can I get free menstrual hygiene products on campus?
Through advocacy in partnership with GUSA, menstrual hygiene disposable receptacles have been installed in bathrooms for all genders throughout the University. We are still working with various partners to advocate for the availability of free menstrual hygiene products (such as pads and tampons) on campus and will keep you updated on the progress of this campaign.