Fund Your Own Uterus

Murray’s bill attempts to counteract legislation regarding the subject of birth control recently introduced by the GOP. That bill is sponsored by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) 36% and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) 73% and is known as Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act. As co-sponsor Ayotte explained:

“Our legislation will help increase women’s access to safe and effective contraceptives and further empower women to make their own health care decisions,” said Ayotte. “In addition, our bill restores the ability of Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts to be used to purchase over-the-counter medications, giving women more purchasing power.”

While one might view increased access to “routine-use” contraception and freedom regarding women’s healthcare purchases as a positive thing, the GOP-led effort is not popular among the Planned Parenthood crowd.

That GOP bill has drawn fire from reproductive health groups like Planned Parenthood Action Fund, however, that warn the legislation would force women to again pay out of pocket for their birth control.

“This is going to turn the dial back,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) 12% warned on MSNBC.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision unfortunately jeopardizes basic healthcare coverage and access to contraception for a countless number of women,” said Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) 0% of New Hampshire.”

Then, like now, the fear-mongering and banner waving in a false crusade to protect women and their rights was/is in full force. No woman is barred from access to birth control by a panel of religious Republicans wishing to make decisions for her. Believe me, the majority of us couldn’t care less about your personal choices of that nature…except when those choices do one of two things: 1. destroy a life, and 2., become someone else’s responsibility to fund. That’s it. Stray into those fields, and you’ll find opposition. The bill Senator Murray has proposed would require insurance companies to fund birth control options even if they’re over-the-counter! What’s next? Requiring my insurance company to subsidize my acetaminophen?

Birth control options are numerous and accessible. Furthermore, if it’s that important to your future to obtain them, you’ll seek out a healthcare provider to get a prescription that best suits both your health and finances. If not, you’ll purchase something over-the-counter. At the root of all of this is the muddled determination that just because you want something, it must be a “right”. And if you believe it’s a “right”, then everyone else should think so, too. If not, then the claim of victimhood may easily creep into the picture and become your new drumbeat. Despite Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards insisting: “You can make birth control available over the counter in every pharmacy in America, but if it still costs $600 a year, it will be out of reach for many women”, the reality is that with numerous options and generic versions available, this is far from an accurate pictures of the situation. The bottom line? It is not anyone else’s responsibility to fund your uterus.