Women Have Paid Too Much for Far Too Long
A few days ago, I posted an entry about the Prevention First Act. As always, I wrote to my representative in Congress to voice support. And, as always, her response is a joke.
An excerpt:
An excerpt:
I continue to be a supporter of teen pregnancy prevention programs and emergency
contraception for rape victims. However, I have concerns with mandating an
insurance company to provide coverage for contraception. In addition to the
costs that mandated health benefits add to our health insurance system,
contraceptives are a personal choice that a woman and her partner must make.
Requiring a health insurance provider, and thus a business, organization, or
association offering that insurance, to cover a decision that should remain in
the family is wrong. As a woman, I respect a person's right to choose a
contraceptive; as a lawmaker, I also respect objection to such coverage.
Referred to the House Committees on Energy Commerce, Ways and Means, and
Education and Labor, H.R. 819 is awaiting further legislative action. Should the
bill come before me on the House floor, rest assured that I will keep your
comments in mind.
Sincerely,
Ginny Brown-Waite
Member of Congress
How many other medical decisions should remain in the family and therefore aren't eligible, according to Ginny Brown-Waite, for insurance coverage? I know! How about when daddy can no longer get it up for mommy? Most insurance plans jumped right on the Viagra train without scheduling a single family meeting beforehand.
Birth control treats certain diseases in addition to costing less than prenatal care, birth, and delivery of an unplanned pregnancy. If an insurance plan covers prescription drugs, it should include birth control.
posted by kate @ 5:25 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
She's making it sound like the law will force all women to use birth control. Well, that would be cheaper for the insurance company, wouldn't it?
Funny, what Ginny doesn't say is that the Federal Employee Benefit Health Plan (FEBHP) for which she is eligible, and for which taxpayers pay 72% of the premium, includes a contraception mandate for those plans that cover prescriptions. Like 13 of the 24 states which mandate such coverage FEBHP does include an exemption for insurers with religious exemptions. However, FEBHP offers a choice of many insurers and finding one that covers prescription contraception is not difficult.
Good for her but not for you?
Or perhaps she just chooses not to use contraceptives. Hmmmm, nice to have the choice made without having to consider "Will my insurance cover it?"
If we are talking predominantly about the Pill, then my question to Ginny Browne Waite (till marriage) is this: Is the Pill a prescription medicine? (Waite for the answer…) Then why do we mandate to be available only by prescription, after all it is a family decision drug. What right do we have to meddle with medications that should be saved for closed-door family discussion? (Waite for it…) Oh, so some things are OK to mandate, but other things are not. (Waite just a minute…) So in other words, your self-righteous excuse that it’s a family affair is another example of hypocrisy in politics?
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