Is Free Birth Control Going To Happen ?

I was not a big supporter of the health care reform bill passed and signed into law recently.   I didn't think it went nearly far enough in reforming the health care system in this country, and sadly, it left the giant private insurance companies in charge of the health care of most Americans.   But it did accomplish a few things that were badly needed -- like refusing to allow insurance companies to deny insurance because of pre-existing conditions and not letting those companies drop a patient's insurance because they contracted an expensive illness.

Now it looks like it might accomplish something else -- something I'll admit I hadn't thought of, but I fully support.   It might well result in free birth control for American women.   The bill does provide for women to receive free preventive health care.

The crux of the matter is just what does preventive health care for women mean.   What does that cover?   A panel of experts will meet this month to advise the government on this, and some expect them to include birth control in that free preventive health care.   Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland), the author of the amendment giving women free preventive care, is adamant that the intention was that birth control be included.

Dr. David Grimes, an obstetrician/gynecologist who teaches at University of North Carolina Medical School, agrees.   He says,   "There is clear and incontrovertible evidence that family planning saves lives and improves health.   Contraception rivals immunization in dollars saved for every dollar invested.   Spacing out children allows for optimal pregnancies and optimal child rearing.   Contraception is a prototype of preventive medicine."

Right-wing groups are opposed though -- like many Catholic Bishops and the Family Research Council.   They claim birth control is not preventive medical care, but a lifestyle choice.   They are going to be fighting this tooth-and-nail.

Frankly, considering what they claim to believe in, the right-wing should be in favor of free birth control for American women.   They say they oppose abortion.   The free birth control would prevent many unwanted pregnancies and therefore prevent many abortions.   They also claim to want the poor to pull themselves out of poverty and off government rolls (and reduce the number of children born to those on welfare).   A major step in accomplishing this would be to help the poor to limit or control their family size by having free access to birth control.

But the right-wing seldom makes sense.   They'll oppose this just because it is a part of President Obama's health care reform -- regardless of whether it would help them attain some of their own goals or not.   That's just the way they are.

It all comes down to how much political courage the president and his minions have now.   Will he stand up for real (and good) change by including birth control in the free preventive health care given to American women?   Or will he bow to pressure from the right-wing Republicans and deny this needed coverage to women?  

I'd like to think he'll show some backbone and do the right thing, but after all the compromises he made to weaken both the health care reform bill and the Wall Street re-regulation bill, I must admit that I'm nervous.   This middle-of-the-road Democrat could go either way.