# 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:** 4\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/121 "2012-03-22T11:05:00Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I can’t understand why anyone would decline having insurance as part of their pay.It is a benifit to the worker because buying insurance for a number of people they get a cheaper rate than if bought as a private citizen.Our insurance,( over the years) have saved us a great deal of money. One reason is because they have better coverage elsewhere.My husband declines insurance at his job because my coverage is better.It’s also not unheard of for people to retire and begin receiving a pension and associated health insurance from one job, and then decline insurance at a new job. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/122 "2012-03-22T13:12:05Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > I know what Fluke testified about. What would you like to know? How about when she asked for free birth control? Or are you denying that you said: > [@Dingbang](#): > > There _are_ people asking for free birth control, including Fluke. > [@monavis](#): > > I can’t understand why anyone would decline having insurance as part of their pay.It is a benifit to the worker because buying insurance for a number of people they get a cheaper rate than if bought as a private citizen.Our insurance,( over the years) have saved us a great deal of money. > [@doreen](#): > > One reason is because they have better coverage elsewhere.My husband declines insurance at his job because my coverage is better.It’s also not unheard of for people to retire and begin receiving a pension and associated health insurance from one job, and then decline insurance at a new job. Also note that some employers will give you a cash offset if you decline the insurance. It is usually considerably less than what they would pay in premiums, but due to the tax code it is cheaper for them to pay for your insurance than for them to pay you enough to buy your own. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/123 "2012-03-22T13:30:18Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > [Quote=Dingbang] > > I know what Fluke testified about. What would you like to know? How about when she asked for free birth control? Or are you denying that you said: > [@Dingbang](#): > > There are people asking for free birth control, including Fluke. [/quote] This reads like someone unfamiliar with Fluke’s testimony [(transcript of the testimony here)](http://democrats.oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Testimony_-_Sandra_Fluke.pdf) Fluke repeatedly discusses insurance “coverage” and I cannot locate any instances of the word “free” in her testimony. Where are you seeing it? This sentence in particular clearly communicates that she does not expect to receive health insurance coverage and birth control for free: > [@Sandra Fluke](#): > > We expected that when 94% of students opposed the policy, the university would respect our choices **regarding insurance students pay for completely unsubsidized by the university** , especially when the university already provides contraceptive coverage to faculty and staff. (bolding added) People seem to forget that Fluke is paying the university, and paying for health insurance coverage as part of the deal. She is both aware of that and explicitly says she is aware of that in her testimony. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375/124 "2012-03-22T13:33:05Z")
The “someone” I referred to above is **Dingbang** , not **Strassia** - hope there’s no multi-quote confusion there, **Strassia** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-contraceptives-be-free/616375.md?page=6)