Friday, January 20, 2012
Human rights / Abortion Obama administration orders coverage of birth control pills
Posted by Max Brantley on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 11:32 AM
A big victory for women's health today. The Obama administration has ordered most employer health plans to provide coverage for contraception without co-pays, thus affording women the same insurance coverage for family planning that men are given for Viagra.
Religious groups had pushed for broad exemptions for employers with religious affiliations. The Obama administration rejected that. Churches and religious organizations that employ primarily people of the same faith will be exempted.
Contraception, of course, prevents unwanted pregnancies or problem pregnancies that sometime lead to abortion. Many conservatives seem to believe sex should not come without a cost. This is the sort of difference a president can make. I think most believe insurance coverage of birth control pills is sound policy. But, having watched South Carolina people cheer Republican buffoonery last night, I'm not so sure.
Said Nancy Keenan of Pro-Choice America:
All women should have access to contraceptive coverage, regardless of where they work. The administration stood firm against intensive lobbying efforts from anti-birth-control organizations trying to expand the refusal option even further to allow organizations and corporations to deny their employees contraceptive coverage. As a result, millions will get access to contraception—and they will not have to ask their bosses for permission.
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Comments (15)
Showing 1-15 of 15
Seem to believe? No, do believe.
In that worldview it's all about punishing sluts.
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Keep this in mind next year when your premiums go up. The no copay bit will be part of the reason why.
This is one of those rare moments when one can thank dawg for election years. I wonder what things big insurance doesn't have to cover now as trade off for this? And big pharma must be thrilled... guaranteed unlimited BC sales!
Good! Couldn't be better news.
Somehow religious leaders don't feel they can keep their numbers up (nosy/emotional people and their dollars), unless they keep their biblical obsession with the female twat on the front burner!
Wait a minute....
Is someone unhappy about preventing more unwanted pregnancies?
Gyl, maybe they can cover the extra costs by no longer paying for viagra.
I love it!
The excuse of the day for raised insurance premiums is all that uncompensated preventative care. Hopefully tomorrow’s excuse will be as entertaining.
Keep this in mind in 18 years when a previously unwanted child isn't [put in jail, given a rubber-stamp diploma from an overburdened school system, put on public assistance because they can't find opportunities, etc.].
Your short-term thinking is why conservatives are running this state and country into the ground. But, hey, if doing what is politically expedient in the short run makes you feel good, do it. Right, gyllie?
The crowd at the SC Republican debates didn't seem to be that representative of anything but white middle aged upper income.
I noted that suits and ties and formal wear filled most crowd shots. Also it seemed all crowd response was unnanimous. Cheers or boos seemed not to be sporadic or variable. Either all cheered or booed, or none.
I suspected the crowd was mostly RNC of SC as opposed to run of the mill voters looking for info.
>>Keep this in mind next year when your premiums go up. The no copay bit will be part of the reason why.<<
And the cost of unplanned pregnancy and delivery, missed maternity days (no premiums in) is what? When you compare a 2.5 inch penis to nothing it's seems pretty big.
But I worry not. The companies, beginning in 2014, will be required to spend 85% on delivered medical service.
So what private health insurance company does pay for Viagra? My current BC/BS plan doesn't. The plan I had before, Qualchoice, didn't either. Just askin...
I don't know elwood, but I imagine that if the insurance companies stood to gain from eliminating the copay on contraceptives they would have eliminated it already.
TANSTAAFL
Gylippus is angry at the prospect he might have to pay a few pennies more so that women of poor background can afford contraception. A policy that makes sense both economically (it will likely reduce health care expenses in the long run) and socially (it benefits the poor and increases freedom and autonomy) will never get the propertarian seal of approval if it is brought about by government regulation. No amount of rational argument will ever change that.
Oh and sure next time premiums go up, the right-wing universe will know who to blame: "welfare queens" getting free contraception. Facts and data won't matter.
TISATASFLTSEPF, Gyli.
aka Candyland Economics aka the only thing liberals understand.
Gyl, as a former accountant let me tell you that covering one unplanned pregnancy would cost about what 150 insureds generic, bulk purchase b/c control pills, monthly for a year. If there are medical complications with mother or child then double the 150. Putting a newborn in IC for a week would break most working people without insurance.
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