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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Health Care Republicans don't want women to have The Pill

Posted by Max Brantley on Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 8:45 AM

ENDANGERED: Good luck getting coverage for The Pill if Republicans take control.

ENDANGERED: Good luck getting coverage for The Pill if Republicans take control.

On Twitter yesterday, I retweeted news that Hobby Lobby, owned by a devoted conservative Christian family, had sued to overturn the Obama administration "contraceptive mandate" — that is the requirement that health insurance policies cover comprehensive preventive care for women, including birth control pills. I observed that the right wing doesn't want women to have The Pill.

Republican shills quickly alibied that the Hobby Lobby lawsuit is "only" about a pill given in the hours after intercourse (think morning-after pill for rape victims) or pills that might prevent implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus, thus being murderous abortion in their eyes. I replied that 1) the original tweet cited only "contraceptive mandate" and 2) anybody who thinks this fight is only about "abortifacients" isn't paying attention.

Pay attention. The Missouri legislature, controlled by Republicans, yesterday overrode the governor's veto of a bill that would allow private employers and insurers "to refuse to cover birth control, abortion or sterilization for moral reasons."

"Refuse to cover birth control." Republicans want to throw up as many roadblocks to contraception as possible. They think the abortion battle is all but over. The Pill is next. And condom distribution by health agencies. Understand that when you vote in November. This bill is coming to Arkansas. Count on it. When a Republican legislature lets your insurance company refuse to cover birth control pills, don't worry, men. They won't put any limits on Viagra. You can continue to keep 'em barefoot and pregnant.

Tags: birth control, Republicans, preventive care, Hobby Lobby

        
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