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Did anyone catch this on the news recently?
Very interesting! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/01/obama-birth-control-health-insurance_n_914818.html
Health insurance plans must cover birth control as preventive care for women, with no copays, the Obama administration said Monday in a decision with far-reaching implications for health care as well as social mores.
The requirement is part of a broad expansion of coverage for women's preventive care under President Barack Obama's health care law. Also to be covered without copays are breast pumps for nursing mothers, an annual "well-woman" physical, screening for the virus that causes cervical cancer and for diabetes during pregnancy, counseling on domestic violence, and other services.
I wonder if women will be able to choose which birth control they get or if the free one will be the cheapest generic.
I did see the headline but didn't read the article.
That's really great. I hope people will use it.
@JoJo Bananas: I would guess if a generic is available for the type you're prescribed then you'll get that or have to pay extra for the name brand (although a doc can write you an rx for the name brand if there is a medical reason you cant take the generic).
I'm thrilled about this!!!!! It makes so much sense.
Too bad it doesn't take effect sooner since I want to get pregnant soon. I'll be paying co-pays next year then. Either way, it's a huge step in the right direction.
Im still waiting for them to make pads and tampons free!
Its not a medical condition, it called my gender! I didn't do anything to make it happen.
What's the catch? There will be a catch. Just wait, I'm sure the insurance companies will say they don't insure women anymore since having a vag is a pre existing condition.
I have no faith in the betterment of the insurance company run health system.
It is an awesome idea, however I highly doubt it will take place to many Naysayers on the BC pill.
@Atalanta: "I'm sure the insurance companies will say they don't insure women anymore since having a vag is a pre existing condition." hahahahhaha hilarious (and sad) bc its true.
insurance companies = evil.
Hmm...it says it will be copay free on "new insurance plans." This might be a dumb question, but does that mean it won't affect me because I already have an insurance plan?
im pretty sure it means you will pay no copay. Like I Have insurance that gives a yearly well woman free (which many don't, but soon will) and a pretty cheap copay but you still have to pay something. This means if you get a prescription, it is totally free.
I'm ashamed to be a poli sci major right now but how can he just say something and have it be so? The healthcare bill was passed over a year ago. Also, that bill also said I don't have to pay copays for regular dr visits and I'm still shelling out $ everytime I go for a regular checkup. There will be exemptions galore.
Is Plan B considered birth control?
God, my copay for my birth control is $40/mo. It would be so nice to see that montly expense gone :) Yay Obama!
@LGenz: Implementation has always been the hard part...
LOVE LOVE this! Finally a way for women who want to naturally feed their babies to pump without paying an arm and a leg!
This would be great for someone like me. I'm low-income and I am doing everything I can to not bring a child into the world (no welfare babies here) but my birth control is $30 a month that I could use to get out of debt instead and start making a better life.
Thanks CNN Money
"First, your plan may be grandfathered out of having to follow this rule if it was in place before the law was enacted. The exemption lasts until your employer significantly cuts benefits or increases your co-pay, co-insurance, or deductibles. Almost a third of midsize and large group plans are exempt, according to consultant Towers Watson, but that number will fall over time."
@LGenz: Maybe it's a good time to be moving out of the country for a while (and getting nationalized health care). When I get back and get a new plan, hopefully I will not longer be exempt.
@LGenz: So it sounds like I'll still be paying co-pays for sometime.
@CorgiTales: Sorry, at least the idea is a step in the right direction. Although the cynical part of my brain is saying this is just a ploy to distract from the clusterf*ck that was the debt ceiling debate.
What about gyno's being considered 'specialists' and therefore having a higher copay than a regular internist?? WTF is up with that anyway - like we have a choice whether or not to go to our gyno every year??
@moderndaisy: Some plans out there considered GP, OB/GYN, peds, and internal medicine doctors regular doctors instead of specialists. I'm so glad my plan is like that.
Honestly, I am not a fan of this. People who are fully capable of paying for BC shouldn't get it for free. IMO, low income individuals should be able to qualify for free or reduced cost BC but I don't think that the average person should just have free access to it.
@moderndaisy: Many "regular" doctors can perform women's exams and paps so you don't HAVE to go to an OBGYN (who is definitely a specialist so of course they should be considered as such, IMO). I choose to go to an OBGYN over my regular doctor for those things, but you certainly don't have to if it is cost-prohibitive.
@Eva Peron: "Im still waiting for them to make pads and tampons free!"
Seriously?!?! Why shouldn't you have to pay for pads/tampons? Should jock itch creams for men be free too? Entitlement these days!
as soon as this came out yesterday they had people on the news bitching about it because they are against birth control, what these idiots fail to realize is thats its not just for contraception. It also helps with cysts and endometriosis and if you think about it covering the pill is a hell of alot cheaper for the insurance company then covering hospital visit and surgery cost to have a cyst or endo taken care of when you could just be on the pill to control it (of course it wont work in every case but the pill does help control it to an extent). I also heard people talking about wanting to make it OTC someday which in theory would be a wonderful idea except that they will jack the price up so high just as they have done with Zytrec,Prilosec,prevacid.
@Mrs.KMM: Jock itch doesn't happen every month.
I say make pads and tampoons eligible for FSA! That would be great.
@Mrs.KMM: I believe Mrs.Argentina's remark was tongue in cheek and you appear to be a little sensitive about this issue. You may want to re-word your last statement because it came across as very snarky.
@Miss Tattoo: I wouldn't have ny opposition to them being covered under an FSA but I don't think that they should just be free.
I'm with you on it not being the best of ideas.
It always unsettles me a bit when I hear legislation that strengthens the tie of the people to big Government. Perhaps folks wouldn't be in dire need of assistance/in financial ruins if the market and the fed was set up differently.
@Mrs.KMM: I would rather pay for people's entitlement to a 20-40 years of contraception use (guessing those are around the min and max birthing years that most of us have), than 18+ years of entitlement to have a uncared for, unkempt, and unruly child. Lot less expensive and damaging to society to provide for the former.
If this helps end the cycle of bringing unplanned, unwanted and unprepared for pregnancies into the world, I am for it. If it doesn't, it shouldn't last.
I read an article that stated that it also covers Plan B, Mirena and voluntary sterilization. I don't know if that's true, though. Here's a couple more articles on it. They might explain more.
Apparently this is a new guidline by the Department of Health and Human Services, not Obama. The HHS website says that it builds on a regulation they passed last year.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/01/free.birth.control/index.html
Only problem is that now the insurance companies will increase the rates to compensate with how much they will be covering all women.
DOnt be all surprised when u see an increase next year,again.
The sad news is, studies (run by PP and/or the Guttmacher institute) have actually shown that the greater the usage of BC the GREATER the number of unwanted pregnancy and abortion. Their own numbers have actually gone against that theory (prevention)...
Where's the free prostate exams? Women don't even "need" an annual exam if healthy and under certain guidelines that most do. They only "need" it for BC. Free mammograms? Free PSA tests for men? Why don't we all just have a free CAT Scan every year? What about free cholesterol screening? Free Stress tests and heart exams? Free skin cancer screening? Not like our country is in massive debt or anything.
The gov. either needs to run the healthcare system or stay OUT of it. That's a good chunk of the reason the healthcare companies suck so bad... it's because of regulations and legislation mandating the private companies how to work...
Better yet, where's my FREE Aspirin to prevent the headache the gov. is giving me?
@Mrs.KMM: Totally agree with what you said here:
Honestly, I am not a fan of this. People who are fully capable of paying for BC shouldn't get it for free. IMO, low income individuals should be able to qualify for free or reduced cost BC but I don't think that the average person should just have free access to it.
Also, remember that nothing the government provides us is "free". It needs to be paid for somehow...by our taxes.
Sorry if I sound like Debbie Downer lol.
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