So Obama's Health Care Reform Just Helped Millions Of Women Save A Lot Of Money Today.

[KittyWampus]

HHS announces free birth control for women in the U.S.


By Sabriya Rice, CNN Medical Producer

(CNN) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new guidelines in Washington Monday requiring health insurance plans beginning on or after August 1, 2012 to cover several women's preventive services, including birth control and voluntary sterilization.

According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius the decision is a part of the Affordable Care Act's move to stop problems before they start.

"These historic guidelines are based on science and existing literature and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need," she said in a news release.

In July, the Institute of Medicine issued the results of a scientific review of women's health needs and provided recommendations on specific preventive measures to help them. Today HHS approved those recommendations.

more

[MannyGoldstein]

1. I hope that birth control pills can be used as food

Because a lot of starving women will need food.

[pnwmom]

3. Birth control pills will prevent the births of millions of unwanted babies

who would have needed food, too.

[OhioBlue]

4. wow...

what's your beef with women of child bearing age in low paying jobs that are fortunate enough to have health insurance?

If they don't have to shell out more money for BC - it frees up cash to spend on groceries, the electric bill, rent, etc. Some need it for medical reasons - not just BC.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Just an example of a certain easy to find here mindset who, no matter what is done,

are never happy. A perpetual Eeyore who moves whatever goalpost there are
all the way off the field, and who care more about being right than anything else
in the entire wide world.

[lumpy]

13. Thank you. Certainly a lot of people around here lately who

are never happy no matter what.

[OhioBlue]

22. exactly!! this is a win.

women's reproductive health care has been under the gun and it is absolutely shameful how insurance companies can discriminate against women so obviously - by denying BC AND at the same time charging more for maternal coverage. This was a win. Why some have to shit on it baffles me.

And... my insurance DID deny BC coverage even tho is was medically advised to treat endometriosis. when I first started in this job my pay was very low and the $50 a month for BC did indeed make a difference. i didn't have the money for it - so I didn't get it. I juggled bills like crazy - took a part-time job in the evenings to pay the rent and still had the electric turned off a couple of times until I got a promotion and could balance things.

[Donnachaidh]

8. yeah, that 20 buck co-pay will sure pay the electric bill in August

:sarcasm:

:eyes:

[FrenchieCat]

9. You're lucky. My co-pays are $50.00 just for visits and does not include Birth Control coverage

at all. This saves me (because I also have a 21 yr old daughter on my policy)
about $220 X 2 persons every 3 months or $1,760 per year!

But most important, it will prevent many unplanned pregnancies....
and raising a child costs a whole fucking lot!

[physioex]

12. I dont understand some of the comments here...

They sure dont seem progressive.

I was talking about the other poster not yours.

[physioex]

10. I dont understand your comment....

If it helps prevent unwanted pregnancies, it WILL pay the electric bill for the other children? What is your point?


(Proud Planned Parenthood Supporter)

[pipi_k]

18. It sure as hell won't pay the bill but

it will be an extra twenty bucks toward that bill.

Or maybe it'll be used for an extra gallon of milk each week. Fresh fruit/vegies.

A special treat once a month for the kids a woman might already have.


If it's not needed for necessities, an extra $20 a month can be stashed away and turn into over $200 in a year.

I know plenty of people who would be glad for an extra bit of money. Was just talking with a waitress the other day who was thrilled when she found a twenty dollar bill as she was cleaning her house.

[MannyGoldstein]

23. I'm not against it all - sorry if I was unclear

My comment had to do with people starving thanks to the withering bipartisan attack on working Americans.

[scheming daemons]

35. In other words, your comment was an attempt to hijack a thread that had positive news

...and shit all over it.


As per usual.

[Whisp]

27. you are such an unhappy one.

I actually feel genuinely bad for you.

[Swede]

2. K&R

[femmocrat]

5. I was surprised that this got past the republicans.

Of course none of them voted for the ACA anyhow, but I expected more of an uproar.

[EOTE]

7. This is a very good thing.

I've had a lot of disappointments as of late, but I'll give credit where it's due. Seeing things like this gives me little glimmers of hope for this administration.

[nemo137]

20. It's a mixed bag, that's for sure.

On the other hand, this does real, measurable, actual good. It's the right thing to do, and a much needed bit of pushback against the increasingly radical misogynists who have been, and in many ways still are, ascendant.

Really, though, I can't understand the "well, that will help" sarcasm in this thread. Someone above pointed out that it saves them something like $1,700 a year. That's not pocket change.

This administration is bad-to-middling on most days, but its got some real differences from our enemies, and those are precious and worth celebrating and protecting.

[EOTE]

25. I understand the apprehension.

Once again, due to all the times we've been spurned in the past. I could understand if people would like to make less of this. But the truth is that is will do a lot of good, not only in terms of saving women a good amount of money, but in terms of preventing unwanted pregnancies as well. It's truly a win-win. And it's great that it will piss off the fundies as well. As you've mentioned, the misogynists have been having a greater and greater amount of influence in Washington, especially as of late. More measures like this will be needed to undo the damage that they've done.

[FarLeftFist]

11. It starts in 2012. NEXT year.

But this is a good idea.

[canoeist52]

14. Are these guidelines that all insurance companies

must honor immediately?

[Fearless]

15. And if you STILL can't afford health insurance... then what??

Who are the people that NEED free birth control? The wealthy with insurance? :rofl:

[OhioChick]

16. Very good point

[one_voice]

17. "To stop problems before they start"...

that's what planned parenthood did for millions of women that couldn't afford birth control. Hopefully this will help those women too. Maybe it'll offset the war on planned parenthood..even if it's just a little.

This is a very good thing!

[TheMadMonk]

19. So you finally get what most other nations have offered as a matter of course...

...for decades? Sorry, but it's waaaay too late for that to be anything to skite about. It's a milestone for sure, but without a fuckton of "catching up" to go with, it speaks very poorly of the nation as a whole.

Poor, female, black, yellow or brownish, single (parent), jailbird, non-xtian and mix'n-match, despite all protest, discrimination and bigotry are very much the norm. With a few tweak the same (sort of) list suffices anywhere bigotry is not properly condemned. The difference between the US/Israel and Middle Eastern Militants is not in their bigotry per se, but the pride with which some wear it, and in the furtiveness with which the others ALLOW it.

[Raksha]

21. Notice the date of the announcement: August 1, 2011.

I can't believe the timing is a coincidence. The WH knew Obama would be facing a shitstorm from progressives the day of the debt ceiling vote. I believe the announcement was timed to be used for maximum public relations effect, exactly the way you are using it now.

I know you and all the rest of the Obama apologists will call me an Eeyore, a cynic or whatever. It won't be the first time. But this is exactly the kind of crumb the Wall Street Democrats throw progressives in an effort to placate us.

I'm not saying this isn't an important and welcome development for women of childbearing age. But we already know that Obama and most other corporate Democrats aren't regressive culture warriors and aren't affiliated with the religious right. They don't mind giving a little bit to keep feminists happy for a few months longer. It's only when billions and trillions of dollars are at stake that they stand on "principle," make the hard choices and all the rest of that crap.

[MilesColtrane]

24. This is just Obama's evil plot to prevent the birth of millions of real liberals.

His way of ensuring DINO Third Way DLC Corprocrat Rule for generations.

















:sarcasm:

[dawg]

29. Ha Ha!

:rofl:

[TBF]

26. Alot of money? It is saving me $10/month. nt

[scheming daemons]

36. $120 per year multiplied by 100 million women? That's a lot of savings.

[TBF]

37. Whatever, dude. Look it's not a bad thing - but don't expect crumbs

to "calm" us down. We know what you did this summer with the "debt ceiling" farce bill, and how it will effect this country. If you think progressives are going to blindly accept that and stop talking about it because you gave us free contraceptives think again.

[dawg]

28. This is a really good thing.

No weasel-words from me on this one. :bounce:

[NNN0LHI]

30. Recommended

[w8liftinglady]

31. I,for one, am thrilled.

I see the results...even among working-class insured women.
When you make $10/hr, there ain't a whole lot to go around.
Thank God they don't have to worry about getting pregnant.
It was a good move.

[Fleshdancer]

32. Great start, but I still want it sold OTC too

Did you know that many countries already sell birth control pills over the counter? It's silly to not allow this here.

[physioex]

34. I would not be for that.....

There are reasons these medications are by prescription. Certain conditions which would make someone not a candidate like smoking and coagulopathy. It would be better if at least a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant review this information before prescription.

[TBF]

38. Seriously? Smoking itself is more dangerous than birth control pills

yet you allow cigarettes to be sold OTC. I swear, men will say anything to control products women use. Of course the REAL reason they want that control is that pharmaceutical companies are still making money off this medication. Open it up to OTC and generics will bring the cost down for everyone.

[Gold Metal Flake]

33. Yes, this is a good thing.

Good news is good news.