President Obama delivers victory for women's health

BY:Bev Hollingworth

Thanks to a recent ruling by the Obama administration, most health insurance plans will now be required to cover women's preventive services, including contraception, without charging a co-pay or deductible.

This new law will save money for millions of Americans, and more importantly, it will ensure women have access to the high-quality care they deserve.

I'm not alone in my support for increased access to contraception. Scientists and medical experts agree contraception is important for women's health. Organizations like the American Medical Association and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend contraception as an important preventive service for women.

Thousands of doctors prescribe contraception for medical and health reasons. Contraception helps reduce the risk of some cancers, serious infections and cysts. Women using contraception reduce their risk of developing ovarian and endometrial cancers to about half the rate of the rest of the population, and many women use this prescription to help with their transition to menopause.

In addition to the health benefits, the president's decision will reduce out-of-pocket health costs to women. Many women skip contraceptive care because of cost, even though the medical research is clear, and for employers, the savings of providing contraceptive coverage more than balance the cost. In fact, the National Business Group on Health estimated it would cost employers 15 percent to 17 percent more not to provide contraceptive coverage than to provide it. Providing coverage without cost-sharing helps women make family planning decisions based on what's right for them, not on how much it costs.

The president put forward this commonsense rule in a way that is fair to all religious groups and respects everyone's religious freedom. Under this policy, there is no requirement for churches or houses of worship to provide insurance covering contraception. Additionally, no doctor will be forced to write a prescription for contraception. This rule serves to increase options for women across the country but absolutely no one will be forced to buy or use contraception.

The facts are clear: 99 percent of all women — including 98 percent of Catholic women have used birth control. A survey by Hart Research found 71 percent of Americans, including 77 percent of Catholic women, support covering prescription birth control at no cost. It's clear American women and health professionals support President Obama's initiative to broaden access to contraception for women.

The president's decision builds on his strong record of protecting women's health. As a result of health care legislation, insurance companies must cover critical women's preventive care like mammograms, cannot deny insurance to women with pre-existing conditions like breast cancer and are barred from charging women 50 percent more than men for the same coverage. These are real accomplishments that will help women across the country lead stronger, healthier lives, and that is something we can all appreciate.

The bottom line is President Obama stands up for American women. The Affordable Care Act and the president's decision to require health insurance providers to cover preventive services such as contraception is a victory for all women.