I've heard this statement one too many times from conservative pundits when talking about government funded aid for women's birth control; does that mean the government will pay for condoms for guys? Oh yes, let's make a funny about the huge cost of health care for women in regards to birth control. Like a lot of of incendiary issues discussed, arguments are based on hearsay, anecdotal examples or beliefs. Statistics, if used, are put out as dry talking points. How many times, during the Sandra Fluke/Rush Limbaugh women's health debate did you hear the statistic 'over 97% of Catholic women use birth control sometime in their lives'? Yes it's useful and important information but hearing it so much can cause listeners to block it out.

I got interested in this subject because a few minutes ago I saw a posting from a friend on Facebook, linking to an article about women's health. One responder, who I suspect won't be on her friend's list much longer, made the oft given conservative talking point about men being paid for condoms. That comment being said, I did a little work to find out what is the cost for women and men as far as contraception. I kept the task specifically on birth control, so there isn't a factor for what happens if the woman becomes pregnant, which would set up an astronomical number in the cost.

These are the numbers for different birth control methods for women in child bearing years, starting at 16 years old. The numbers were taken from two sources, with one of the sources being Planned Parenthood.

The Pill - $11,842 to $66,644

IUDs - $4,089 to $8,178

Implanon - $8,910 to $19,601

Injections - $10,740 to $32,496

Birth Control patch - $11,842 to $66,644

Vaginal Ring - $11,842 to $66,644

Surgical Sterilization - $1,500 to $6,000

For the men, I went to the Walmart website to look at the cost of condoms. A pack of 36 condoms comes at an average cost of $15. I figured two packs a year, which would mean a man would have sex a little over once a week. Despite some men who might inflate the number, once a week is the average for men in the United States, counting married and unmarried men of all ages. The time range I used was 50 years of active sex, so assuming the guy starts having sex at 16, that would cover him to age 66. Yes some men might have sex past those years, but remember we're talking sex once a week, so you know there will be weeks where there is no sex and other factors that could extend the range of an active sex life.

With all the provisions given, the average man can expect to spend $1,500 in his lifetime for condoms. Let's be honest about this, that number is the extreme high number. Most men will probably pay a lot less for condoms in their lives, somewhere around $1000.

Even making the point even clearer, a woman using the pill will spend $30 a month on average. She has to take the pill every day. A man spends money on a condom every time he has sex, if he chooses to use it. If you figure he has sex on the average 1 time a week, the cost he has to pay in a month is $2.50. Less than a cup of coffee at Starbuck's.

Men have a choice in the matter. If they are broke, they don't buy the condom. If a woman is broke, and she opts not to take the pill and the man doesn't wear a condom, the consequences could be life altering and financially devastating.