Free Birth Control Pills

I was waiting for this. Rightwing Evangelicals will soon be on the march and raise a hue and cry to repeal “Obamacare” because it kills children.

Or, as they say, potential children.

This is because, as I see in today’s Houston Chronicle, there is an interpretation of the Mikulski Women’s Health Overhaul amendment that would “require insurers to cover preventive care and screenings for women at little or not cost to them” is actually wording that guarantees free birth control pills to all comers.

Evangelicals are coming unglued as we see in the article:

“‘We don't consider it to be health care, but a lifestyle choice,’ said John Haas, president of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, a Philadelphia think tank whose work reflects church teachings. ‘We think there are other ways to avoid having children than by ingesting chemicals paid for by health insurance.’”

Now whether “preventive care” made free goes beyond free mammograms to include prevention of conception, generally not considered a disease, is neither here nor there. [But wouldn’t it be great if indeed birth control was not something someone has to opt out of because of the added expense?] The article goes on and strays back into the world of reason, pointing out that birth control pills is very mainstream these days.

“The use of birth control is ‘virtually universal’ in the U.S., according to a government report this summer from the National Center for Health Statistics. Nearly 93 million prescriptions for contraceptives were dispensed in 2009, according to IMS Health, a market analysis firm. Generic versions of the pill are available at Walmart stores, for example, for $9 a month.”

“Still, about half of all pregnancies are unplanned, and many occur among women using some form of contraception. The government says the problem is rarely the birth control method, but "inconsistent or incorrect use," such as forgetting to take a pill.”

“Advocates say free birth control would begin to address the problem.”

“‘We can look at other countries where birth control is available for no cost, and what we see are lower pregnancy rates, lower abortion rates and lower teen pregnancy,’ said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood.”

Yes. Wouldn’t it be nice if America was more like other countries where there are lower teen pregnancies and lower abortion rates?

SCHIP Passes House 225-204

Now I swear to all the gods that I fully intended to write something on SCHIP today because I knew it was up for a vote. But I have been a buys, busy blogger these past couple of days and now I find that Nick Lampson’s press staff have done all the work for me today. So like yesterday I am pasting his press release below. Why reinvent the wheel? I have added links as appropriate.

LAMPSON: WE MUST NOT DENY HEALTH CARE FOR MILLIONS OF CHILDREN AND ELDERLY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Nick Lampson (D-Stafford) today voted for landmark legislation to provide America's seniors and children with timely and affordable access to quality medical care. H.R. 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007 ("CHAMP" Act), passed in the House by 225 to 204. This legislation provides critical protections to seniors receiving Medicare benefits, reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program ("SCHIP") which expires on September 30, and halts cuts to physician reimbursement that would reduce access to health care for millions of Americans. Six million children, including 585,500 in Texas, have health care benefits under the SCHIP program, which helps the children of working families that either cannot afford insurance or have jobs that lack health benefits. The CHAMP Act will now provide health coverage to an estimated five million additional children who are currently uninsured but eligible for SCHIP, including 998,000 in Texas.

Congressman Lampson stated, "I am proud to have voted for the CHAMP Act. This is a vote of conscience, a victory for our nation's families, their children and our seniors. Additionally, this legislation also saves taxpayers from picking up the tab for indigent care at emergency rooms - the most expensive way to care for a child's health. It costs less than $3.50 a day, about the cost of a Starbucks coffee, to cover a child through SCHIP."

The bill protects Medicare from privatization and promotes fiscal responsibility by phasing out, over four years, overpayments to private insurance companies, saving taxpayers billions of dollars. Private insurance companies are paid on average 12 percent more than traditional Medicare - and overpayments to certain plans exceed 50 percent. The CHAMP Act ensures that seniors and people with disabilities can continue to see doctors of their choice by stopping a 10 percent payment cut to doctors in January 2008, and a 5 percent cut in January 2009. Additionally, the bill includes a $3 billion rural package that sustains rural health care, and extends for two years important add-on payments for hospitals, doctors, and other rural providers who care for Medicare beneficiaries. The CHAMP Act will reduce long-term health costs by focusing on preventive check-ups, tests, screenings, and vaccines to reduce long-term health complications and costs.

CHAMP Act Highlights:

-Provides health care to 11 million children - 5 million who currently lack health insurance and 6 million who are currently covered by SCHIP.

- Extends solvency of Medicare Trust Fund and protects seniors from premium increases.

- Ensures patient access to doctors of their choice.

- Encourages seniors to seek preventive services.

- Ensures seniors' access to rural health care.

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You Have GOT to See SiCKO

I don’t do movie reviews so don’t expect one here. What this is, is a chronology of what I had to go through to see Michael Moore’s new production of SiCKO. And a recommendation that you also jump through those hoops, well, hopefully fewer ones than I had.

I live in what was once aptly called DeLay Country. Aptly named, because up until last year, voters in my area were wildly enthusiastic about returning to congress every two years one of the meanest, self-aggrandizing, disingenuous, and corrupt politicians in recent memory.

So when I looked up the start times for Michael Moore’s SiCKO at my local AMC I was startled to learn that it wasn’t playing there. Nor anywhere else within 25 miles. I was amazed to discover that it was only playing in a handful of theaters, all within the confines of the City of Houston. You have to hand it to AMC, they really know their local market. Three screens to show Ratatouille, none for SiCKO.

My daughter had an unexpected day off yesterday, so we decided that we needed to make the trek to Houston. The matinee was at 3:25 so we left the house an hour before that, reasoning that we could kill the extra time some way. It had been raining off and on that afternoon, but just as we exited the door, the sky opened up and we were both drenched in a downpour.

As we drove down the street, I noted that the water piling up on each side of the road was creeping toward each other. The downpour abated and we made it to the freeway unscathed. The drive into the city was marred by only a few slow downs, traffic was light but moving slowly due to the weather. As we passed inside “the Loop” I noted that we probably wouldn’t have to worry too much about how to kill time once we got there.

There was no parking lot next to the downtown theater and the street curbs were absolutely jammed with parked cars. The adjacent parking structure pointed to a “theater entrance” so I figured they had a section for theater patrons. They did. For 3 bucks.

Ten minutes later we were in our seats. The movie started immediately. No kidding. We didn’t see one trailer.

What I will say about Michael Moore’s latest production is that Moore has done it again. His sense of timing is exquisite, and when you think he has proved his point he goes on to new heights and proves it with new authority.

Staying for the credits, you are treated to some quotes, and a recommended website that caused me to burst out laughing: http://www.hook-a-canuck.com

Go to the website and you get the gist of the point, but in order to really appreciate it, you need to see this film.