Free For All

With all of this recent talk about the Debt Ceiling, there have been other big issues that have gotten slightly, if not completely, ignored. Now, I'm not politician and I'm not one to pontificate on things that I know little about [or things that bore you guys for that matter], but this particular issue is one that I think is exciting and also important.

Starting in August of 2012, health insurance plans must cover birth control with no copays, among other reproductive health care services, as preventative care for women. This is nothing short of AMAZING! My birth control is currently $35 a month and a friend of mines is as high as $80 [that is not a typo- EIGHTY DOLLARS for Birth Control]. I'm not going to lie to you guys- this little blogger tends to be broke as a joke most of the time. I could seriously use an extra $35 a month, but I am fortunate to have a job that covers my bills [if not all of the fun I would like to have]. If it's a struggle for me to cover my BC, can you imagine what it must be like for women who are in lower tax brackets, possibly with families to feed and clothe? Um, I can and I'm guessing that they can't afford it at all which perpetuates the cycle of unwanted pregnancies.

Did you know that exactly 50% of pregnancies in the United States are unwanted? Fifty Percent! That number is astronomical. According to one study, eliminating unwanted pregnancies would save taxpayers an estimated $6 billion dollars a year! With our nation in serious debt and talk of making cuts in every area, including vital areas like education and defense, saving $6 billion from unwanted pregnancies seems to me like a great place to start!

Unsurprisingly, this bill is not without opposition. There are many who believe that birth control is a form of abortion, and some extremist that believe it could eventually make our society as we know it a "dying civilization"! Now, there are many religious sects that do believe that birth control prevents Gods will for someone to have a child. I personally happen to believe that nothing and no one can stand in the way of Gods will for a persons life, not even a little ole pill or a rubber sack. But, I digress. Let's assume they are right. This bill does not require women of a sexually active age to be on birth control, it merely provides it for those who want it. It should be noted that the bill has a provision for religious companies that offers them the choice of whether or not they want to cover contraception services. Win/ win, right?

Wrong. Evidently, that is still not good enough. Extreme right wingers want the bill stomped because it will also cover "the morning after pill" which some consider a form of abortion. Has anyone else seen the Plan B commercial where they clearly state that "Plan B is not the abortion pill. It isn't effective if you are already pregnant, and will not terminate an existing pregnancy". My understanding of the morning after pill is that it will only alter a normal menstrual cycle or inhibit ovulation, thereby inhibiting a pregnancy [but feel free to jump in here if you have a better understanding of it!]. In my book, that isn't an abortion at all!

But, lets say it is. Would we rather have a "morning after" abortion or a partial-birth abortion? I'm going to vote the "morning after" type every single time. At some point you have to pick your battles and choose the lesser of two evils. If the goal is fewer abortions [and I think that is everyone's goal, no matter what your stance on the legality of abortions is], then isn't free preventative care the best way to achieve that?? Again, I'm not politician so I'm certainly looking at this from a surface level, but to me, if preventative care equals fewer unwanted pregnancies then that must equal fewer abortions, fewer people on welfare, and a savings of taxpayer dollars all across the board. Again- it's a win/win, no?

I will now step off of my soapbox and lay this issue to rest, but I'd love to hear comments from you guys, whether you agree or disagree. I think with issues like this, its good to get opinions and information from both sides, but I'm having a hard time seeing how this bill is not a good idea. Oh, by the way, the bill also covers breast pumps for nursing mothers, screening for the virus that causes cervical cancer, HIV, and gestational diabetes, as well as counseling for domestic violence. At the risk of sounding like a broken record- WIN/WIN!