# Why must contraceptives be FREE? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 21, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375 "2012-03-21T04:22:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/81 "2012-03-21T18:13:41Z")
Note that reproductive health prescriptions are covered under most health insurance, it is only birth control that is an issue due to fundamentalists. They do cover Viagra, this is why your number of employee’s is just a red herring, the desire to limit access has NOTHING to do with anything but the desire of one groups desire to force their beliefs on their employees. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/82 "2012-03-21T18:15:45Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > So your position is that it’s quite okay for employers to be able to decide whether their insurance covers certain types of medical services, just as long as the services in question are prescribed equally for men and women. It’s just not okay for employers to do the exact same things in cases where the services are prescribed only for women? > > First of all, both men and women do purchase birth control. Women purchase it more than men, but it’s not as if women purchase it exclusively. > > Secondly, there are numerous medical services that are used exclusively or mainly by one gender but not the other. Do you hear Democrats clamoring that all such medical services–or at least the preventive ones–should be required to be covered by all medical plans with no copay? If not, then it’s back to the original question: what’s so special about birth control. The government has decided that all health-insurance needs to provided a minimum of service. Birth control for no copay is one of those minimums. This is a good idea because fully half the population has a need for it. And men don’t purchase any birth control drugs. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/83 "2012-03-21T18:28:55Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Actually you don’t even need a prescription for free condoms. Which do not have the health benefits of hormonal contraceptives, nor the efficacy rate for preventing pregnancy. Given that 60+% of those who use hormonal contraceptives do so because they do more than preventing pregnancy, bringing condoms into the equation is muddying the waters, at best. > [@ITR\_champion](#): > > What’s so special about birth control, that makes it more important than other medications that can prevent serious medical problems or even save lives? Start with its commonality. Second, that HC is the primary treatment for dysmennorhea, which is the _leading_ cause of school/work absenteeism for women under 30. Third, that the real end goal is to change the fact that 1/2 of pregnancies in this country are unplanned, which is not only financially problematic, but also manifests in our disproportionately high rates (given our medical advances and the extreme predominance of hospital birth) of infant and maternal morbidity and mortality. It’s hard to draw such a bright line of correlation in other areas of medicine; this one has been identified, so now it’s being addressed. ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/84 "2012-03-21T18:41:30Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > That doesn’t explain why we see people so obsessed with the need to cover birth control while apparently not caring about coverage of anything else. My employer shopped for insurance plans and chose a plan that requires a sizable copay for my anti-depressants. While I can pay it without difficulty, a poorer employee could have trouble making that copay. So with regard to such a poorer employee, wouldn’t the employer be “in the position of making health care decisions”? If so, then how is that situation with anti-depressants any different from the same decision with birth control? > > Further, though you wouldn’t know it from listening to Democratic Party announcements, Obama’s mandate does not cover all employers. Employers who hire fewer than fifty employees are not covered by the mandate. So if it’s wrong for employers to make health care decisions for their employees, why aren’t the liberal activists all worked up about the prospect of employers with less than fifty employees having exactly that power? The PPACA has a number of requirements in addition to not charging a copay for birth control. Preventitive care and screenings can’t require a copay or deductible (and I would argue that birth control is preventitive care). Pre-existing conditions can’t be denied coverage. Most notably for you, PPACA requires mental health parity for insurance. > [@](#): > > PPACA mandates coverage parity, putting mental health treatment on par with medical care, which means deductibles, copayments, and doctor visits can’t be more restrictive for mental illnesses than medical and surgical coverage. [http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/11/04/mental-health-coverage-expanded-ppaca/](http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/11/04/mental-health-coverage-expanded-ppaca/) In other words, though you have some valid questions like why it’s not all or nothing for prescription copay, you’re completely wrong that people don’t care about coverage of anything else. In fact, the ones that are single-minded are those who single out birth control among the many things that aren’t allowed to include a copay. ---
**Author:** ![Dingbang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Dingbang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dingbang)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/85 "2012-03-21T18:57:05Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > No one is asking for free contraception. > [@Mosier](#): > > Who is demanding contraceptives be free? This gal: [http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/romney-schools-free-birth-control-student/436581](http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/romney-schools-free-birth-control-student/436581) ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/86 "2012-03-21T19:05:46Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > This gal: [http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/romney-schools-free-birth-control-student/436581](http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/romney-schools-free-birth-control-student/436581) She phrased it wrong, but the rule isn’t about free birth control. ---
**Author:** ![Dingbang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Dingbang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dingbang)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/87 "2012-03-21T19:25:49Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > She phrased it wrong, but the rule isn’t about free birth control. I was sure that would be the response. She said “You know what would make me happy? Free birth control.” But of course she doesn’t really want free birth control. I’m not supposing that I know her inner motivations and heartfelt desires; I’m going on what she said very clearly in a public forum. You’re assuming she actually has a much more rational position and “phrased it wrong.” Maybe there are some folks on your side who aren’t as well reasoned and rational as you. Certainly got plenty of those on my side. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/88 "2012-03-21T19:26:14Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > As I understand it, the decision was made that birth control should be considered part of preventative medicine and covered without co-pay. There’s a ton of that stuff ([government list](http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html)). Funny how we never hear any complaining about, say, tetanus vaccinations. Well they should! Giving kids tetanus vaccines just encourages them to run around barefoot and step on nails. Responsible children, knowing that they were not vaccinated wouldn’t waste their time playing and stuff. Why does the government want to turn kids into play sluts? At least, take videos of children playing in empty lots and send them to Rush. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/89 "2012-03-21T19:40:04Z")
> [@](#): > > The multiple threads on this topic have convinced me is that what’s so special about birth control is that by definition it reduces the number of idiots in the world. Well, it seems those that those practicing birth control and having fewer children are the ones making the reasonable arguments. Possible exception Rush of course. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/90 "2012-03-21T19:43:13Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > I was sure that would be the response. She said “You know what would make me happy? Free birth control.” But of course she doesn’t really want free birth control. > > I’m not supposing that I know her inner motivations and heartfelt desires; I’m going on what she said very clearly in a public forum. You’re assuming she actually has a much more rational position and “phrased it wrong.” Maybe there are some folks on your side who aren’t as well reasoned and rational as you. Certainly got plenty of those on my side. The birthcontrol isn’t free, because it’s a part of insurance. And as I said upthread, the government doesn’t pay for insurance unless you’re indigent. I assume the girl is talking about the rule at hand, and not some hypothetical free birth control program. Remember, the Republicans have lied about the issue, calling it free birthcontrol in order to demonize it and spark anger in their base. If the girl used the language that the right has been propagating, that’s a testament to how pervasive their dishonesty is, not a reflection of the actual issue. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/91 "2012-03-21T19:54:40Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Stop the presses! You found examples of the news media stupidly misunderstanding and misrepresenting facts in a story? Wow. > > Yes, I demand that my employer provide me with free healthcare. I’m so crazy I also demand that they give me free money too! > > THIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT FREE CONTRACEPTIVES! I post my understanding of the issue and give cites to back it up. You disagree and use sarcasm and attitude to back yourself up. And I don’t understand the anger. I wasn’t criticizing the administration’s decision. Just stating my understanding and quoting three mainstream news organizations as cites. > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > TANSTAAFL > > Not when insurance is provided as part of a compensation package. I work, I get insurance coverage as compensation for that work. It’s fairly well insulting to imply that my employer is giving me gifts, as though I should be thankful and kiss his metaphorical feet for showering me with his largesse. > > This is the insurance equivalent of a minimum wage. An attempt to put a scope around what can be considered adequate insurance as provided by an employer, not allowing it to be a randomized collection of covered services dependent on the whim of the employer. > > If the government is providing insurance, due to the person being dirt poor, that insurance should cover an appropriate number of services, and not be limited by what some politician’s church hierarchy says is a good or bad thing for people to do. > [@monavis](#): > > Insurance is part of a person’s wages, so they are paying for their insurance( although it may seem indirectly). Like I said, to some degree it’s semantics. If I was a woman and went to the pharmacy to pick up my birth control pill and didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket, it would seem free to me, even though I’m just paying for it through my now slightly higher premiums to avoid paying a copay. I do understand everybody’s point though, it probably would be more accurate for the media to say “no copay” instead of “free”. And for the record I’m happy with Obama’s compromise. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/92 "2012-03-21T19:57:39Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > And for the record I’m happy with Obama’s compromise. Fox News Headline: Nobody is Happy with Obama Compromise! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/93 "2012-03-21T19:58:59Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > If the girl used the language that the right has been propagating, that’s a testament to how pervasive their dishonesty is, not a reflection of the actual issue. Or the girl was a plant by the Romney campaign to ask a stupid question and give him the opportunity for a sound bite that the right-wingers would lap up. I’m usually the person in the “shit happens” camp and not the conspiracy camp, but a setup here would not surprise me at all. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/94 "2012-03-21T20:23:46Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > What’s so special about vaccinations? What’s so special about fluoride treatments? Here is the [list of things](http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html#CoveredPreventiveServicesforAdults) requiring no co pay. What do they all (including birth control) have in common? They lower costs of health care. Should more things be on the list? Probably. > > Do you believe parents should need to pay out of pocket for the MMR vaccine because insurance doesn’t have to pay for aspirin? Actually, guess what? Aspirin is on the no-copay list: > Be upfront about the fact that **you** find contraception special and different from other preventative care on moral grounds. Otherwise you should be just as upset at the fact that HIV screenings and aspirin are on the list. Correction: Aspirin is on the must cover list, not the no co-pay list. > [@theR](#): > > The PPACA has a number of requirements in addition to not charging a copay for birth control. Preventitive care and screenings can’t require a copay or deductible (and I would argue that birth control is preventitive care). Pre-existing conditions can’t be denied coverage. Most notably for you, PPACA requires mental health parity for insurance. > [http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/11/04/mental-health-coverage-expanded-ppaca/](http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/11/04/mental-health-coverage-expanded-ppaca/) > > In other words, though you have some valid questions like why it’s not all or nothing for prescription copay, you’re completely wrong that people don’t care about coverage of anything else. In fact, the ones that are single-minded are those who single out birth control among the many things that aren’t allowed to include a copay. The question must be asked of\*\* ITR champion\*\*, why is prescription contraception different from: [ > [@](#): > > [ul] > [li]Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling from trained providers, as well as access to breastfeeding supplies, for pregnant and nursing women\*[/li][li]Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for all women\*[/li][li]Gestational diabetes screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant and those at high risk of developing gestational diabetes\*[/li][li]Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening and counseling for sexually active women\*[/li][li]Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test: high risk HPV DNA testing every three years for women with normal cytology results who are 30 or older\*[/li][li]Well-woman visits to obtain recommended preventive services for women under 65\*[/li][/ul] > Note: Services marked with an asterisk ( \* ) must be covered with no cost-sharing in plan years starting on or after August 1, 2012. See Affordable Care Act Rules on Expanding Access to Preventive Services for Women. ]([Shining a Light on Health Insurance Rate Increases | CMS](http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html#CoveredPreventiveServicesforAdults)) Or do you object to these services being mandated to not require co-pay? If so, why the focus on contraception? ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/95 "2012-03-21T20:26:55Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > If the girl used the language that the right has been propagating, that’s a testament to how pervasive their dishonesty is, not a reflection of the actual issue. Also keep in mind that this was a Q&A at a campaign rally. Questioners got about 10-15 seconds max to get their queries at and were being constantly prompted to hurry themselves up. So she, like the media, shorthanded the issue. More telling was Romney’s response, and even more telling than that, was his response to a question asked later: > [@](#): > > Q: You said “Planned Parenthood, we’re going to do away with that.” I’m just wondering where you would suggest that the millions of women who receive their health services, such as mammograms, and HPV vaccines go? > > ROMNEY: Well, they could go wherever they’d like to go — this is a free society. This was not 15 minutes after he also said that he’d repeal “Obamacare.” So he’d defund Planned Parenthood, do away with PPACA, say he’s not the “free” birth control guy and then glibly say “get your medical care wherever you want, it’s a free society.” And if you don’t have the cash on hand and can’t get insurance? Oh well sucks to be you, I guess. What a jack wagon. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/96 "2012-03-21T21:22:21Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > This was not 15 minutes after he also said that he’d repeal “Obamacare.” So he’d defund Planned Parenthood, do away with PPACA, say he’s not the “free” birth control guy and then glibly say “get your medical care wherever you want, it’s a free society.” And if you don’t have the cash on hand and can’t get insurance? Oh well sucks to be you, I guess. What a jack wagon. Romney went on to explain, “I don’t see why people are making such a big deal out of paying for medical expenses out of pocket. Most medical procedures only cost ten or twenty thousand dollars. That’s not a big deal…what?..really?..okay, if you say so…I’ve just been informed by my aides that ten or twenty thousand dollars is a significant sum to most people.” ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/97 "2012-03-21T21:22:36Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > This gal: [http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/romney-schools-free-birth-control-student/436581](http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/romney-schools-free-birth-control-student/436581) Congratulations, you found one. If I look and ask, I could find someone in that audience that thinks Obama should be assassinated. But for me to use that example to claim that Republicans are calling for Obama’s assassination would be stupid. Just because individual people might want free birth control doesn’t mean that the current societal controversy is about free birth control. Just so the pedant in you is satisfied - the overall thrust (heh) of the argument about this issue is not free birth control (even though some people might think they deserve that), but not allowing employers to make medical decisions for their employees based on those employers’ personal morals. The argument is that women’s medical decisions should not depend on whether or not their employer feels that it’s okay for women to use hormonal birth control, but should depend on the doctor and the woman making that decision together, as covered by health care, in the same way that men are allowed to make their medical decisions as covered by their health care. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/98 "2012-03-21T21:35:27Z")
> [@](#): > > If I look and ask, I could find someone in that audience that thinks Obama should be assassinated. So as to preserve the analogy, you’d have to find someone in a Democratic audience that thinks Obama should be assassinated. Which they’d probably be less likely to admit. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/99 "2012-03-21T22:08:59Z")
**ITR champion** should be very concerned since what is being proposed would allow his employer to not cover anti-depressants on their insurance plan. All the business has to do is convert to Scientology! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/100 "2012-03-21T22:25:46Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > You are wrong about the timeline. The Catholic Church was pissed _in response_ to the rule. This lead to the “compromise” that all but the most ideological Catholics and Republicans are okay with. You really should know that if you’re gonna be talking about it in a thread. I’m not sure you were able to comprehend my original post because you are not contradicting anything in it, bud. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375.md?page=6)