Women's Healthcare Advocates Speakout for Birth Control

This afternoon, Planned Parenthood joined Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman Mike Quigley and serveral women's health supporters and religious groups in a speak out for women's access to contraception.

On February 10, the Obama Administration announced a final rule requiring employers to provide insurance coverage for the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives without charging a co-pay, co-insurance, or a deductible. The rule exempts 335,000 churches, mosques and synagogues. The policy also ensures that if a woman works for a religious-affiliated employer such as a hospital or university with objections to providing contraceptive services, the woman’s insurance company will be required to directly offer her contraceptive care free of charge.

Speakers in support of the policy at the event held at First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple included Carole Brite, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Rev. Larry Greenfield of Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Dr. Tara Kumaraswami of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, Lorie Chaiten, Director of ACLU of Illinois Reproductive Rights Project, and Sara Hutchinson, Domestic Program Director of Catholics for Choice.

“It is inconceivable to me – in the year 2012 –that there should be any controversy about access to contraception,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky. “The use of birth control and its medical benefits have been widely supported by medical experts and scientific experts. No employer should decide for a woman whether she can access the health care services that she and her doctor decide are necessary.”

“Make no mistake, there is a war on women, and we have to fight back,” said Rep. Mike Quigley. “Last week, I walked out of a Congressional hearing on birth control without a single woman on the witness panel. Hours later, I turned on the TV to hear someone suggest contraception was as simple as women putting aspirin between their knees. Enough is enough.”

Last year, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report recommending coverage of contraception services, supplies, education and counseling – without cost-sharing requirements. The recommendations were based on scientific research that showed the important health impacts of planning a pregnancy and proper birth spacing on both a woman and her children.

99% of sexually active American women - including 98% of Catholic women - have used some form of contraception in their lives.

We, and all groups involved thank President Obama for holding firm to the principle that there should be no barriers for women to get the health services they need. Thank you, President Obama, and thank you to everyone holding strong on this issue. We will not back down!


Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Birth Control, Jan Schakowsky, Mike Quigley, Barack Obama