As part of the Affordable Care Act, on August 1, 2012, insurance companies must cover screenings for gestational diabetes, testing for human papillomavirus (HPV), birth control and many more preventive services.
Some of these issues can be controversial. For example, Rush Limbaugh calling a law student from Georgia a “slut” for supporting free birth control caused a storm within the media. While I do not agree with Rush Limbaugh’s treatment of the young woman, taxpayers have the right to voice their opinion about funding birth control through the health care plan.
However, I believe this act will have many positive results. I believe the benefits outweigh the negatives. Many women are in need of several of the preventive services the act has to offer, and many of those women cannot afford it.
Many people believe that the use of any form of birth control is a form of murder. They are being required to pay for something they are strongly and morally opposed to.The act is considering allowing religious organizations to opt out of coverage for their employees. This means that they would not have to pay for something they are against. I’m not in favor of stripping away religious rights, but I don’t think it’s fair for women to not have a choice. All women need health care.
I would rather my tax money go to women who are trying to prevent pregnancies. I would rather my tax money go to the awareness and prevention and screenings for gestational diabetes and the testing of HPV. I would rather my taxes go towards the screenings and testing for STD’s rather than the treatment for it.
According to the Huffington Post, research done by Guttmacher Institute estimated taxpayers paying $11.1 billion every year for unintended pregnancies. Nearly two-thirds of unintended pregnancies are already publicly funded by Medicaid and government programs. So why not spend that $11 billion on coverage of women who are uninsured or go towards the prevention services offered in the Affordable Care Act?
It is estimated that 20 million Americans are infected with HPV, and six million new cases are reported every year. Once again, wouldn’t you rather your money going to the screenings, the testing, and the overall awareness of the preventable diseases and pregnancies, rather than the treatment or cost incurred from those? I know where I want my money to go.