Contraception exploded onto the front pages this month. That might seem strange to most people -- what is controversial about contraception at this late date? One headline read "Changes to Contraceptive Coverage Rules Draw Mixed Reaction" and that one wins the 'understatement' award on this topic.
"Conservatives" seized on the issue as a good wedge to attack Obama on many fronts, and hoped that it would somehow awaken some version of a moral majority to political action. Yet almost all women, including Catholics, ignore their putative religious leaders on this issue, and always have -- when they have a choice. In letters and online comments, the most incisive perspectives seem to come mostly from women -- political leaders, doctors, nurses, social workers, and just plain folks. The New York Times editors noted that Catholic authorities were trying to have it both ways, claiming all the special financial privileges of a church but wanting to ignore any strings that might be attached, however compassionate those might be. Others observed that behind this debate was specter of abortion politics -- even though the one proven way to reduce abortions is to make contraception as easily available as possible.
Amongst politicos, the gender split seemed to hold true as well. Three female senators wrote to the Wall Street Journal defending the contraceptive mandate. Some female politicians even felt compelled to boycott the male-dominated House hearing on the topic. In the GOP candidate's race, Romney sought whatever position he could sell to the most people, Santorum at least already opposes contraception, not surprising for a guy who thinks women working is a radical feminist plot. Irrelevant crank Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich were aptly ignored. Kris Long, a nurse writing in the New York Times had it best: "As a former employee of a Catholic-run hospital, I find it appalling that the party of 'individual rights' would stand up for a religious bias rather than for the non-Catholic employees who are deprived of the right to choose health insurance commensurate with the private needs and beliefs. Why should I not be allowed birth control through my insurance because my boss has a problem with it?"
Strangely enough, organized medical voices have been muted in this heated debate. But the contraceptive mandate did not spring anew out of the nefarious White House health reform plan. It is an old idea, long supported among health care policy wonks and, last summer, given strong endorsement by the highest medical authority in the land, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Their report, "Clinical Preventive Services for Women: Closing the Gaps," focuses on preventive care for women, including but not limited to contraception. In medical circles it was hardly controversial and seemed to be greeted in the clinical trenches with an "OK, now make it happen" sentiment, as is often the case with rational, evidence-based medical recommendations.
Given that, and sensing that the IOM recommendations might be more controversial in non-scientific arenas, I thought it might be good to have a strong statement of support from the medical organizations I work with, and drafted the statement below for the San Francisco Medical Society's policymaking body:
CONTRACEPTION AS A FULLY-COVERED HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFIT
San Francisco Medical Society
Whereas, the United States Institute of Medicine in July 2011 strongly recommended that "the full range of FDA-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity" be a fully covered benefit of all health insurance plans; and
Whereas, the costs of contraception have long been identified as a barrier to many women's optimal use of contraception, with negative impacts on their health and in terms of unwanted pregnancies, as well as discriminatory implications; and
Whereas, The Federal administration has just mandated that contraception be a covered benefit, but health insurance industry representatives have voiced their opposition to this measure and might try to repeal it; now be it
RESOLVED: That the CMA supports the coverage, without co-payments, of all FDA-approved contraception methods as a mandated health benefit of all health plans.
--True to form, this statement was noncontroversial among the 20-plus physicians of various specialties who reviewed it and three physicians signed on as co-authors -- all of them women (I am omitting their names here to protect them from the scary minority), but we could have added men as well. The statement then went to the annual policy-making meeting of the California Medical Association -- a much larger and often more conservative bunch, made up of hundreds of doctors from all over the state. We thought there might be some opposition, but no, in the open debate, the CMA physicians even strengthened the final statement to include voluntary sterilization. Thus, here is the nation's largest state medical association's concise position on this matter:
RESOLVED: That the California Medical Association supports the coverage, without co-payments, of all FDA-approved contraception methods and sterilization as a mandated health benefit of all health plans.
-- Simple, direct, and medically correct, regarding a private medical matter between women and their physicians. As for the rest of those pundits weighing in, mostly male and including religious figures and politicians, I can't help but be again reminded of what pioneering lawyer and yes, feminist Florynce Kennedy once quipped, "If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament."
I also can't help but note that just this week, a report from the widely-respected group Save the Children confirmed what has long been known -- one out of four children already here on this planet are malnourished, and many of them are starving to death around the world, at a rate of one every five minutes. I respectfully wonder if the church and political leaders opposed to contraception could meditate on that for a moment, and instead of fulminating against one of the only solutions we have, devote their time and energy towards alleviating this ongoing tragedy of suffering in the world. And perhaps they could listen to what doctors think as well. But I will not hold my breath.
http://allhands-ondeck.blogspot.com/2012/02/contraception-and-catholicism-what.html
But all that is beyond the point. In this country we have freedom of religion. And the institutions covered by the law are SECULAR organizations (they accept federal funding & therefore MUST be secular). Therefore, they exist under laws that are not made based in 'beauty' or the desire to have people act one way or another, but in secular thought - actual data etc. That may not seem 'beautiful' to you, but you are free within your own church, or here, or on the street corner, what it is that you believe. But we - are free to follow your belief system or not - regardless of how beautiful it may or may not be.
2. 100% of Church members have told lies, but that fact does not invalidate the Church's teaching on honesty.
3. One does not give up one's rights when one accepts federal funds.
4. Contraception is not a right. In fact, contraception is not even health care, it is a lifestyle choice that enables people to have sex without responsibility. Contraception does not treat an illness or disease. In fact, it does the opposite, by inhibiting the normal, healthy functioning of a woman's reproductive system.
5. People are free to use all the contraception the want. There is no "access" crisis; contraceptives are everywhere. The government, though, has no right to to force anybody to provide contraceptive access to others against their religious beliefs.
If a large company that employed hundreds, if not thousands of people was run by Jehovah's Witnesses, and they refused to allow blood transfusions and organ donations to be covered due to it being against their beliefs, would you be singing the same tune of religious freedom? If they hired people of all faiths, including Jehovahs Witnesses that don't go by that rule, would it be okay for them to force their religious beliefs onto their employees, even though they themselves wouldn't be the ones paying for the blood transfusions and organ donations? Something tells me it wouldn't.
2. It is not about who is paying. Contraceptives, sterilization, and abortifacient pills would be still provided through the Church's insurance policy which means the moral substance of the situation is unchanged.
3. Coverage of Cialis and Viagra is irrelevant to this situation. Cialis and Viagra restore man's sexual function when it has been lost due to illness or disease, which is exactly what health care is supposed to do. Oral contraception on the other hand does not restore healthy function, but rather inhibits the healthy function of the woman's reproductive system. That is not what health care does. Pregnancy is not a disease, nor is it an illness. Thus, contraceptives are not health care. They are a lifestyle choice so that people can have sex without reponsibility.
4. If a person, is not willing to comply with the beliefs of their religious employer, they should not be working their. Let them vote with their feet. That is what we do in a free society. There are plenty of secular organizations they can work for. Plus, you are talking apples and oranges. Blood transfusions are health care. Contraceptives are not.
By the way, you should be aware that inserting name-calling and personal attacks into your comment as you do above significantly weakens your argument.
Plus, in your example, why would a woman who wants to drive go to work for such an organization?
How many of the bishops understand that they have nuns and sisters in their dioceses who need these contraceptons, and for whom these are major components of comprehensive health care coverage.
But others are affected as well. The two hospitals nearest to me are both Catholic related institutions. Founded by nuns nearly a century ago, in a time of great medical need, they are truly a gift to the communities. But why should one of these hospitals hire a third rate radiologist, for example, who is so desperate for a job tha she'll accepts these coverage limits as something she HAS to accept, while a truly first rate physician went elsewhere, somewhere where she can get truly cmprehensive care? And why must women give up their OWN beliefs on this issue because of a lable on the door.
But there's another group affected as well: Patients. How many patients will be harmedby mistakes made by a less than superior employee over decades of employment? You and I are at risk, too.
Pr Chris
Also, my parents both work at a Catholic hospital. I have severe PMDD and was having two full periods a month that would only be remedied by me taking hormonal birth control. While under their insurance, I had to have my doctor write the insurance company a special note every time I got my pills, and then my shot, saying that I needed it for medical reasons. It was none of their business why I needed it, yet they made us jump through stupid hoops every single time. How on earth is this acceptable?
Any Republican that tells you otherwise is a liar.
With hope that a practicle view of the topic might resonate with souls caught in the heat of a strangely political fight over a very personal topic - CWF
beliefs of the republican party.
True story.