Barack Obama: A Friend to Women's Health

2011 was a tough year for women's health advocates. It felt like every week was a battle with Republicans across the country to protect the rights women hold so dear. During these battles, such as the one for defunding Planned Parenthood, President Obama has stood strong with women's health advocates and protected women against the Republicans who were trying to stop us from moving forward.

On January 20th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a ruling that required nearly all employers to offer contraceptive coverage and preventive care. By August 2012, most health insurance plans will include contraceptive coverage with no co-pay -- a blessing for any poor college student. The Obama Administration and other faith-based organizations have negotiated a deal to allow religious institutions to have an additional year to comply with the Affordable Care Act regulations. This seems fair and as a Catholic woman I understand the action as one of respect towards the Catholic Church's teachings.

HHS's decision will help millions of women, sexually active or not. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 14 percent of pill users use the pill for exclusively for non-contraceptive purposes. Access to contraceptives is a public health issue. Birth control, the most prescribed medication for young and middle-aged women, should be covered with no co-pay because it is has significant health benefits when used. Access to contraceptives is a public health issue.

When I am looking for a candidate that stood by women and fought for access to birth control, Barack Obama will be my candidate. Mitt Romney's political career has been a stem of bad policies about women. Romney is too concerned with the 1%, and not concerned enough about making health care more affordable for everyone. From vetoing a bill to require hospitals to offer emergency contraceptives to rape victims to proposing to the support of personhood amendments (sometimes), Romney is not a friend to women. When women are looking for a friend in health, Barack Obama has filled that role with ease.

 

Comments

[ryoshakil]

06:18 AM on 02/19/2012

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[ferretluvr]

09:20 PM on 02/08/2012

I've worked in pharmacy for 15 years. I've seen drug plans cover Viagra and not birth control. Absolutely ridiculous. Birth control should never be exempted from drug plans, regardless of what company or religion is the provider of the insurance. Birth control pills are obviously used for birth control, but are used for many other reasons, such as acne, migraine prevention, prevention of anemia in heavy menstrual bleeding, regulation of cycle (also to "reset" cycle when trying to conceive), endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), ovarian cysts, as hormone replacement during menopause, reduction of heavy bleeding and painful cramping during periods, and even more. To not cover birth control is to deny women a right to essential health care. And no employer should become between a woman and her doctor in determining medical treatment.

[Honeybabe1]

04:57 PM on 02/07/2012

president obama and the dems are the ONLY ones supporting women's rights. us ladies need to remember that!

[Scooter2]

09:10 PM on 02/07/2012

Honeybabe Obama may be supporting women's rights, but he is not supporting American's rights.
If you don't look at the total picture of what Obama stands for you should not vote.

[ferretluvr]

09:22 PM on 02/08/2012

I'm confused. Are there not American women?? Are "American" rights not freedom and liberty? Or does that just extend to men's health care?

[Vinkaye]

04:34 PM on 02/07/2012

Well, what happens when he reverses his stance because of pressure from the Catholic Church and other clergy? Brace yourself, because it's coming. Also, I think it's only fair that when discussing women's health issues, we understand that this President also caved and allowed the Stupak-Pitts Amendment be added to the Healthcare Act. This despite the fact that the Hyde Amendment was not in any way threatened by Healthcare Reform and remained the law of the land, in terms of federal dollars not being spent on abortion services. Stupak took it a step further, if you buy into any federal linked medical insurance, or if your employer receives any federal reimbursement for health insurance directly or indirectly with your private insurance company, despite what kind of premiums you are willing to pay, your private insurance is not allowed to cover abortion services. That's right, the President, in allowing Stupak-Pitts, actually further restricted women's access to abortion. While yes, I agree that GOP platform is no friend to women's health, the President has not been thoroughly front and center on the issue either.

[sudey2]

02:41 PM on 02/07/2012

Well stated and true. Bravo!

[Countess]

12:39 PM on 02/07/2012

While it is true that Obama is a friend to women's health this month I wouldn't bet on this friendhip lasting too long as the pressure from right wing catholic democrats starts to build. I believe he will cave in on this before too long and I would be very happy to be wrong about this.

[jerseyjoe99982002]

11:53 AM on 02/07/2012

You think respecting the Catholic church is making them fund drugs that kill babies? You think respecting the church is making a religious organization go against their core beliefs?
I really feel sorry for you. Obvoiusly , you have no respect for your own religion

[Vinkaye]

04:39 PM on 02/07/2012

First of all... big distinction between "drugs that kill babies" and birth control, which simply prevents pregnancy... doesn't kill anything! Second, the church would not have to fund the drugs, the church, as an employer bound by federal law, would have to allow the insurance companies, that their employees pay premiums to, to cover birth control. It's really not that difficult. The church is bound by federal laws in other sense as an employer, you know sick days, 40 hour work weeks, not discriminating, etc.

[ferretluvr]

09:23 PM on 02/08/2012

Well said!

[Dodger300]

10:38 PM on 02/08/2012

JerseyJoe, your opinion is in the minority even among Catholics. We Catholics support the requirement that health care plans cover birth control at an even stronger level than do Protestants of Evangelicals.

Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20120208/NEWS07/120208008/Survey-Majority-of-Catholics-support-including-birth-control-in-health-care-plans

[ths642]

10:54 AM on 02/07/2012

in other words, I am so glad Barack takes care of me, I certainly would not want people to be left to manage and take responsibility for themselves. Afterall, mom and dad have coddled me and given me everything I have ever wanted and defended me always no matter what. I am always right and some day I will have some skin in the game and actually pay taxes and have a mortgage and some life experience living on my own. Then maybe I will understand the world and it's realities a little better. But for now Barack is my hero and savior.

[charmon5]

01:00 PM on 02/07/2012

ths...Why are you being so childishly sarcastic over a woman's birth control expenses? Insurance companies pay for viagra...certainly not a medical necessity. Why should they not also pay for birth control for woman who are being RESPONSIBLE enough to wait to have babies when they can afford to take care of them? As Ms. Breslin pointed out, birth control pills are very often prescribed for medical conditions not associated with pregnancy. Babies cost money for at least 18 years ths. THAT is the reality of the world.

[ths642]

01:40 PM on 02/07/2012

A misnomer or misinformation that liberals love to falsely spread,,health plans do not cover viagra for male impotence, that drug was invented for people with prostate cancer and is covered in that instance. What is alarming is that most people have forgotten or never knew that.