Access To Reproductive Health Care Is Getting Harder, But Plan B Is Still Available At Costco For $7

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned nearly three years ago, the fate of reproductive rights in the United States has been uncertain and varies widely depending on where you live. With many states severely curtailing abortion access, or effectively banning the procedure altogether, access to pregnancy prevention has become even more important than ever.

But TikTok creator and naturopath Dawn Bantel is highlighting just how hassle-free it can be to protect yourself, and your children, from unwanted pregnancy. In a recently posted video, Bantel shares an exchange she had with a pharmacist at Costco to get Plan B, aka the morning-after pill. She frames this exchange as “Girl Mom 2025.”

“I wanted to ask about Plan B. Is that something we can get here?” she asks. The pharmacist says it is and that the cost per pill is $6.51.

“What is the maximum people can buy?” Bantel inquires. The answer is two. “And anyone can buy it?” Yes.

Bantel buys two and that’s that.

It really can be that easy — and as a reminder, you can use the Costco Pharmacy without a membership.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misunderstandings about what Plan B is exactly — from how it works to how available it is and for whom. So if you’re looking to get your hands on some, either for immediate personal use or simply to have on-hand in case of emergency, here’s what you should know.

Plan B Is Not An Abortion Pill

The morning-after pill is a generic term for one of two types of medicine: levonorgestrel, which includes Plan B One-Step, Fallback Solo, and others, and ulipristal acetate, which is sold as Ella and Logilia. Meant to be used as a backup option when other methods of birth control fail (or aren’t employed), “morning-after pills” like Plan B work by delaying or even preventing ovulation.

Unlike abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol, Plan B does not end a pregnancy already in progress.

Plan B Is Legal In All 50 States

There’s a lot of confusion for many laypeople about what is and is not available to them in terms of reproductive health care, particularly in more restrictive states. But Plan B One-Step is available over the counter and without a prescription across America. While some states allow pharmacists and/or pharmacies to refuse the sale of such medications if they have a principled stance against it, this medication is still legal and generally available. (Though, certainly, it’s annoying to have to go to more than one pharmacy to find the care you need.)

Plan B Can Be Used Up To Five Days After Sex And Has A Four-Year Shelf Life

“Morning-after” pill is a bit of a misnomer — it’s actually an effective treatment against pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex, according to Plan B’s own materials. Though, the Mayo Clinic notes it can be taken up to five days or 120 hours after unprotected sex.

If you want to have an emergency stash of Plan B, know that if stored properly — ideally in a dark, dry place between 68 and 77 degrees — the medication is effective for four years.

Plan B Generally Costs Between $40 And $50 But Can Be Found For Less

Per Planned Parenthood, Plan B One Step generally costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 to $50, and coupons are often available for the name brand. Moreover, generic forms of the same active ingredient can be found more cheaply, including at Costco (as Bantel demonstrated) and even on Amazon and other online retailers. As of press time, the cheapest we’ve found online is about $7 per pill.

But whether $7 or $50, the cost of the pill is considerably less than the approximately quarter of a million dollars it costs to raise a child to adulthood, so your ROI is pretty substantial...