I don’t usually write about politics here, but tonight I felt it was important to say something on behalf of women and families in this country.
In recent days you may have followed the heated debate over whether a female employee at a Catholic institution (hospital, university, charity, etc.) can have her birth control covered by her health insurance. The Obama administration reversed its original policy requiring religious institutions to pay for birth control, following an uproar by folks on the left as well as the right. The president’s new policy would have insurance companies pick up the tab for the monthly medication.
Personally, I was glad to hear his compromise plan. I’ve long championed women’s rights, ever since 5th grade when I founded the Independent Women’s Society (“IWS”) at my elementary school. (We had membership cards and met during recess, underneath the tree on the playground.) But like most folks, I didn’t think religious institutions should be required to pay for birth control.
The Obama compromise sounded so reasonable that I thought the Republicans in Congress would just drop the issue. How naive of me! Conservatives declared that Obama’s plan is not an acceptable compromise.
All of this seems like typical political nonsense — except that the issue is a terribly important one to women and families around this country. If the Republicans had their way and I were to work as a nurse for a Catholic hospital, my insurance plan would not cover my monthly birth control prescription.
Huh?? Are we in 2012 or 1912?? Didn’t we as a country decide long ago that contraception is an acceptable means of family planning that should be readily available to women? Don’t most people, women and men alike, think family planning (i.e., choosing when and if to have a child) is a good thing? What possible argument could Republicans conceivably (no pun intended) make against requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of birth control?
I guess they’re citing religious freedom, though under the compromise plan insurance companies would be paying for the medication, so this argument rings hollow. According to the Republicans’ own philosophy, shouldn’t they be equally or more concerned with individual freedoms — in this case, the freedom of a woman to choose when and if she brings a child into the world?
Let’s be frank. While I greatly appreciate my health insurance coverage that allows me to pay only $50 per month for my birth control (hear that, Rick Santorum?? Not just “a few dollars” to me!), I would certainly find a way to cover the cost if the insurance dropped contraception from its coverage. I don’t think N and S want another little sibling right now!
But I’m not the primary beneficiary of this policy. It’s the woman who really does work at a Catholic hospital, living in Queens on a fixed income with five kids. Maybe married, maybe not. Maybe drawing on welfare or other social programs just to pay the bills. Without this coverage, she may decide that she and her family can’t afford the medication any longer. Weren’t these same right-wingers bashing “welfare moms” who — according to Republicans — kept popping out kids just to get a government check??
Even more likely, I’ll bet that many talented young women will simply decide to leave their jobs at Catholic institutions and take jobs elsewhere, where reasonable health care plans are provided.
I will get off my soap box now. I just hope that women and their families (who also may not be ready for another sibling anytime soon!) recognize that, between the political parties, there’s a lot at stake this election year.
P.S. — My incredibly smart and talented friend Keli Goff posted a piece on HuffPost today titled “10 Facts About Contraception (And How It Changed the World) That Every Man and Woman Should Know.” It’s thought-provoking — and provides some good talking points on this issue!
A Mom In Brooklyn 
Couldn’t agree more Julie!!!! Also loved your friend’s post! Thanks!
Julia
“I were to work as a nurse for a Catholic hospital…”
Jules — you know that you could also work as a doctor in a Catholic hospital. They let women be doctors now, you know.
True enough — though on a doctor’s salary, I think I would find a way to pay for birth control even if my health insurance didn’t cover it. I’m more concerned about the women on the lower end of the pay scale who depend on their health insurance to cover the not-inexpensive monthly cost of birth control.
As a former employee of a religious organization I can attest that the insurance coverage they provided was provided by the organization, not some independent insurance company. So how is it that the organization is not having to compromise their convictions by taking the money out of their insurance program instead of their general budget? I have nothing against family planning, I planned my own family. I do have something against terminating a pregnancy. Pregnancy is not a terminal illness. I understand it can be an interruption into your life plans, a consequence of bad judgment in sexual decisions, or sometimes a challenge financially or (in rare circumstances) the result of a tragic act or event. But, the ability to abort the “problem” has not made our society better, (just come visit the middle and high school where I teach for a real life example). What I see are kids who think their unborn child is a toy they are waiting to unwrap, or as a mistake to simply erase as simply as they move on to the next relationship.
Gloria, I appreciate you sharing your perspective. While I don’t have all the details, it sounded to me as though the president’s policy was meant to be enacted in the future, when the federal health care law goes into effect — part of providing health care coverage to everyone in the country.
Especially now that I’m a mom to two beautiful girls, it pains me to think of any woman or girl who feels they must resort to having an abortion. But isn’t that yet another argument for providing greater access to birth control–?
Again, thanks for the comment. It’s nice to be able to have a discussion — even thousands of miles away! 🙂