United States approves free birth control for women

[garbon]

http://news.yahoo.com/federal-health-department-approves-free-birth-control-women-143218278.html

U.S. health insurance companies must offer women free birth control and other preventive health care services under Obama administration rules released on Monday, a historic decision supported by family planning groups and opposed by conservative groups.

The rules from the Health and Human Services Department are part of the nation's healthcare overhaul and largely follow recommendations from an advisory group released last month.

The U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, commissioned by the Obama administration, recommended that all U.S.-approved birth control methods -- including the "morning-after pill," taken shortly after intercourse to stop a pregnancy -- be added to the list of preventive health services.

The recommendation faced opposition from conservative and religious groups that balked at using taxpayer money to cover birth control, especially the "morning-after pill."

The guidelines go into effect on Monday, requiring insurers to provide free coverage of preventive care services for women in all new plans beginning in August 2012.

"These historic guidelines are based on science and existing literature and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement.

The HHS added an amendment allowing religious institutions to choose whether to cover contraception services in their insurance. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had urged the HHS to exclude birth control as a service.

The adoption of the recommendations is a win for organizations such as the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Planned Parenthood.

"Eliminating cost sharing for these crucial preventive services will make needed care more accessible and will improve the health of millions of women," said Iowa Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, who had urged HHS to accept the report's guidelines.

The health department's guidelines followed the IOM's recommendations to require free screening for gestational diabetes, testing for human papillomavirus in women over 30, counseling for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, lactation counseling, screening for domestic violence and yearly wellness visits.

Research suggests that the public supports adding birth control to the list of services.

A Thomson Reuters/NPR survey in May found 76.6 percent of respondents believe private insurance plans, without government assistance, should cover some or all costs associated with birth control pills.

[CountDeMoney]

Now here's something the Teabaggers are really going to go to the mattresses against.

Pardon the pun.

[Zoupa]

40 years later, in America,...

[The Brain]

Abstinence is indeed free. Win-win.

[Neil]

Condoms and the pill are relatively cheap.  Babies are expensive.  Especially when you factor in the cost of black babies.

[derspiess]

Fine by me if an insurance company chooses to cover whore pills, but if you're going to try to mandate that they do, grow some balls & put through specific legislation.

Yes, I know Obamacare empowered HHS to do this, but that's just another strike against Obamacare.

[derspiess]

Now here's something the Teabaggers are really going to go to the mattresses against.

Pardon the pun.

Just wait & see what the Bachmann administration does about this LOL

[Zoupa]

Did you really just say whore pills? 

[Valmy]

Fine by me if an insurance company chooses to cover whore pills

Seriously dude what the fuck is wrong with you?

In any case while that might be a good policy that strikes me as something that should be mandated by law instead of just mandated through executive order...since, you know, money in involved.

Unless it was mandated by the health care bill which, well, did they not then legislate it with the appropriate amount of testicles?

[Neil]

In any case while that might be a good policy that strikes me as something that should be mandated by law instead of just mandated through executive order...since, you know, money in involved.

Unless it was mandated by the health care bill which, well, did they not then legislate it with the appropriate amount of testicles?

See, this is what Congress does these days.  They legislate ambiguously, and then they're able to rage against the president during their reelection campaigns.

[derspiess]

Seriously dude what the fuck is wrong with you?

I just like the reaction I get from using that term

See, this is what Congress does these days.  They legislate ambiguously, and then they're able to rage against the president during their reelection campaigns.

Except that this legislation was passed by a Democrat-controlled congress and it caused several members of congress to get voted out

[Ancient Demon]

It will actually save the government a great amount of money to subsidize birth control among the lower classes. A fiscal conservative should not be opposed to this.

[Valmy]

Except that this legislation was passed by a Democrat-controlled congress and it caused several members of congress to get voted out

Meh.  That always happens when a party does something no matter how ambigous.  Hence the inceasing wimpiness of Congress and the dangerous turn over of power to the executive.

[Valmy]

It will actually save the government a great amount of money to subsidize birth control among the lower classes. A fiscal conservative should not be opposed to this.

Indeed.  But I would rather controversial cultural issues like this be handled on a local level.

[Valmy]

I just like the reaction I get from using that term

Careful.  That road leads to Slargosian side.