For being strong supporters of individual decision-making, the “choice” crowd certainly does enjoy placing responsibility elsewhere. This is true not just in their conclusion that the unborn are to bear the brunt of the blame in certain situations, but also in their pursuit of financial contribution for birth control. It’s apparently “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Plan B”, or didn’t you know? Birth control is a right, and how dare it be a woman’s individual responsibility. [mc_name name=’Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’M001111′ ] introduced the Affordability Is Access Act bill this week. Among other things, the bill states:
…insurance companies must cover contraception, even if certain methods, like birth control pills, become available without a prescription
Murray’s bill attempts to counteract legislation regarding the subject of birth control recently introduced by the GOP. That bill is sponsored by [mc_name name=’Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’A000368′ ] and [mc_name name=’Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’G000562′ ] and is known as Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act. As co-sponsor Ayotte explained:
“Our legislation will help increase women’s access to safe and effective contraceptives and further empower women to make their own health care decisions,” said Ayotte. “In addition, our bill restores the ability of Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts to be used to purchase over-the-counter medications, giving women more purchasing power.”
While one might view increased access to “routine-use” contraception and freedom regarding women’s healthcare purchases as a positive thing, the GOP-led effort is not popular among the Planned Parenthood crowd.
That GOP bill has drawn fire from reproductive health groups like Planned Parenthood Action Fund, however, that warn the legislation would force women to again pay out of pocket for their birth control.
All of this stems from the contraception mandate in ObamaCare, something that the GOP bill would reportedly threaten. Only a year ago, the issue of contraception was on the national stage as the “evil” Hobby Lobby sought to control the healthcare decisions of their female employees. The national craft store hated women and their bedroom behavior so much that they desired to keep them from obtaining certain birth control products. Although Hobby Lobby’s plan covered sixteen birth control options, that truth was hardly a comfort to the those who might want to purchase one of the four (those determined to be abortifacients) that were not covered. As usual, the Left vocally opposed all the supposed horror taking place.
“This is going to turn the dial back,” [mc_name name=’Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’W000797′ ] warned on MSNBC.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision unfortunately jeopardizes basic healthcare coverage and access to contraception for a countless number of women,” said Democratic [mc_name name=’Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’S001181′ ] of New Hampshire.”
Then, like now, the fear-mongering and banner waving in a false crusade to protect women and their rights was/is in full force. No woman is barred from access to birth control by a panel of religious Republicans wishing to make decisions for her. Believe me, the majority of us couldn’t care less about your personal choices of that nature…except when those choices do one of two things: 1. destroy a life, and 2., become someone else’s responsibility to fund. That’s it. Stray into those fields, and you’ll find opposition. The bill Senator Murray has proposed would require insurance companies to fund birth control options even if they’re over-the-counter! What’s next? Requiring my insurance company to subsidize my acetaminophen?
Birth control options are numerous and accessible. Furthermore, if it’s that important to your future to obtain them, you’ll seek out a healthcare provider to get a prescription that best suits both your health and finances. If not, you’ll purchase something over-the-counter. At the root of all of this is the muddled determination that just because you want something, it must be a “right”. And if you believe it’s a “right”, then everyone else should think so, too. If not, then the claim of victimhood may easily creep into the picture and become your new drumbeat. Despite Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards insisting: “You can make birth control available over the counter in every pharmacy in America, but if it still costs $600 a year, it will be out of reach for many women”, the reality is that with numerous options and generic versions available, this is far from an accurate pictures of the situation. The bottom line? It is not anyone else’s responsibility to fund your uterus.
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