IOM Panel Urges Mandatory Contraception Coverage

[mr_spivens]

Various news outlets have reported on the Institute of Medicine's recommendations to Kathleen Sibelious, head of the Department of Health and Human Services, about what should be covered under the new health care bill.

NYTimes: "The (Obama) administration asked the Institute of Medicine, a nonpartisan, nongovernmental arm of the National Academy

Comments

[sephirajo]

Catholic bishops and other religious and social conservatives say pregnancy is a healthy condition.

I'll remember that the next time my Rhumey reminds me that getting knocked up could kill me. No matter how much I wish I could have at least one more kid. (I only have one.)

That said, damn you clergy! Stop making us look bad! We're not all nut jobs and the rest of you should be more like my priest uncle who is cool and understands these things and, you know, not have sticks up your collective asses. >__>

[mollybarton]

Just after I was born, my mom wanted her tubes tied. The doctor said- and I kid you not- "Are you sure? It's another girl, doesn't your husband want to try for a boy?" If she hadn't just gone through 30 hours of labor, she would have kicked him in the nuts. People who want to ban birth control can fuck themselves. And for the record- my dad did NOT want boys, and only wanted two kids anyway. He was thrilled to have two little girls and could not understand why it was so goddamned important to have boys. *roll eyes*

Women should always have access to BC, if not for free, at a reduced cost. Pregnancy can kill. It ain't always a "healthy" condition. My cousin almost died from an infection during one pregnancy (which she miscarried anyway). Another cousin had such heavy periods that they left her anemic. Without the pill, she wouldn't be able to function. I had similar problems, but not severe enough for the pill.

[tigerdreams]

The doctor said- and I kid you not- "Are you sure? It's another girl, doesn't your husband want to try for a boy?"

There's a large part of me that wishes that every story like this I heard ended with, "and then I set him on fire."

[mollybarton]

Oh, I'm sure she thought about that.

[superfan1]

Awesome, but not keeping my hopes up high.

[hermionefan87]

This would be awesome, especially if it forces insurance companies to cover sterilization too. That would be one less hurdle for me, although I expect getting it paid for would be easier than trying to get a doctor to sterilize a childless woman in her twenties.

[anysomething]

I have a Catholic friend who thinks Planned Parenthood should be defunded and that the BCP should be illegal. I have about had it up to here with his bullshit, so I'm so glad to see there's an effort to make contraception more readily available.