Controversy still surrounds free contraception as part of Affordable Care Act

By Caitlyn Huebner
February 11, 2016

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students have different views on whether or not contraceptives should be included in the Affordable Care Act. Photo by Emily Rowan

In recent years, the federal government requires all birth control methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be covered under the Affordable Care Act. This means that, with private healthcare plans, contraceptives will have no out-of-pocket costs. This mandate has brought about controversy. Advocates praise the mandate for allowing contraceptives to be more accessible and affordable to women, while critics see this mandate as challenging their religious beliefs.

According to the director of student health services, Susan Fitzgerald RN, BSN, no-cost contraceptives were available in previous years for medical purposes only. This would have included hormone regulation and heavy or irregular bleeding during menstruation. With this mandate, however, no such justification is needed to obtain contraceptives. All health care plans must provide no-cost contraceptives for both medical and personal purposes.

“The federal government made the decision that health insurance had to cover [con- traceptives] whether you like it or not,” Fitzgerald said.

Many institutions, most of them Catholic, have filed lawsuits against the Affordable Care Act. Wheaton College, a Protestant liberal arts school in the suburb of Chicago, made the decision to end health insurance offered to its students because this mandate. The University of Notre Dame is a Catholic university in Indiana. Notre Dame filed a lawsuit in 2013 against birth control being added to health insurance plans. They claim the mandate violates the institution’s right to practice religion without government interference. Houston Baptist University, East Texas Baptist University and Westminster Theo- logical Seminary gained support from 16 states in their lawsuits against the mandate.

With contraceptives being added to the Affordable Care Act, it is now considered a preventative health measure along with mammograms, annual physicals, gynecological visits, colonoscopies and other health screening.

Cabrini sophomore religious studies major Shannon Donnelly is one who feels strongly contraceptives should not be a part of the Affordable Care Act.

“In my opinion, there is nothing good from using contraceptives,” Donnelly said. “People who use contraceptives lose sight of the fact that the purpose of sex is not to ‘make love’ but make life, and contraceptives stops any life from developing.”

Donnelly, a Roman Catholic, believes that contraceptives such as birth control should not be covered whatsoever.

Recent Neumann University alumna Jennifer Huebner RN, BSN, is currently working at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Del. She has worked in healthcare for three and a half years.

“Anything preventative should be covered [under the Affordable Care Act],” Huebner said. “Contraceptives should be covered because it prevents long-term complications.”

Donnelly sees the usage of birth control a personal choice. She does not think contra- ceptives should be covered under the Affordable Care Act because one must pay for the choices made.

“There are numerous studies that have proven that the use of birth control can cause many problems in a woman’s overall health such as blood clots and breast cancer. The list goes on and on,” Donnely said. “As for using the pill to regulate periods and hormones, many girls do not realize there are natural, alternative remedies to regulate hormones and other medical uses. The world has started to rely more and more on birth control.”

According to a study on Journalist’s Resource, unplanned pregnancies account for $12.6 billion of taxpayers’ money every year. The Contraceptives CHOICE Project provided no-cost contraceptives for two to three years to nearly 1,000 women who are at risk of unintended pregnancy. At the conclusion of the study it was seen the abortion rate among these women were significantly less than the national average. It is estimated that if contraceptives were no-cost nation-wide, about 62-78 percent of abortions annually could be prevented.

Huebner feels there should be better education about contraceptives in school for younger girls.

“Education should be provided to girls so they can take care of their health and themselves,” Huebner said.

When it comes to the decision of whether or not to use birth control, remember that it requires a prescription. The best thing to do is first speak with your primary care physician. Fitzgerald offers a word of advice to any interested in contraceptive options.

“Students need to make a personal choice, weigh all the options and do your homework when it comes not only to contraceptives, but also your sexuality,” Fitzgerald said.

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Caitlyn Huebner

Part-time adventure seeker and full-time creative soul. I have been fortunate enough to travel to distant worlds through my imagination and bring them to life through writing. Web editor for Loquitur and Editor in Chief of The Cue

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