Planned Parenthood Advocate

SCOTUS Upholds the Affordable Care Act: What this Means for Women

In a tremendous victory for all Americans, the Supreme Court upheld the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), an act that extends health care coverage and seeks to eliminate the barriers to receiving affordable medical care.  While this ruling will impact the lives of all Americans, it has an especially powerful effect on women’s health care.

Under the current health care system, women can be denied coverage for having had a C-Section, breast cancer, or even for having been sexually assaulted.  The ACA changes this and ensures that insurance companies cannot deny coverage based upon a pre-existing condition. 

Additionally, the ACA ends the practice of charging women more for insurance simply because they are women.  This widespread practice, currently present in 90% of top insurance providers, costs women more than $1 billion dollars annually, with some companies charging women 85% more than their male counterparts.

SUPREME COURT DECISION UPHOLDING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT A MAJOR VICTORY FOR WOMEN

Women Will Have Access to Birth Control Without Co-Pays Starting in August, Saving Up To $600 a Year

St. Paul, MN — Today, in a major victory for women, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act. The following is a statement from Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS).

“Because of today’s ruling, millions of women will have access to birth control without a co-pay starting in August 2012 – protecting their health, saving them money, and giving them control over whether and when to start families. For women, birth control isn’t a political or social issue – it’s basic health care and an economic concern.”

“Planned Parenthood knows firsthand how important this law – and this decision – is for women and families, because we see the need for affordable health care every day. Women who come into our health centers often struggle to decide whether to pay for birth control or pay for textbooks, groceries, or gas for the car.”

Poll Finds Overwhelming Support for Affordable Prescription Birth Control

In a recent poll, voters overwhelmingly agree that people should have access to affordable birth control.  The poll found that nearly three-fourths of those polled believe that we should continue to work to make prescription birth control affordable and not a financial burden.  A mere 23% of those polled disagree with this policy goal.  Not surprisingly, 80% of women agree with this policy goal and an overwhelming 84% of those under 18 believe in affordable access to birth control.

Though anti-choice politicians often cite “religious liberty” as a reason to deny affordable access to birth control, these results confirm that the public views access to birth control as a fundamental component of women’s health care.  Among Catholics, 66% still believed in affordable access to birth control.  Additionally, when asked their opinion about women’s access to birth control, 56% of those polled said that it was an integral part of women’s health care.  Only 36% believe this is a matter of religious liberty. 

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota offers no-cost birth control to eligible women through the 4NOW program. Learn more about eligibility requirements.

Moira, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Datoka

NYT Confirms Emergency Contraception Acts Before Fertilization

A recent examination by The New York Times confirms, once again, that emergency contraception does not terminate a pregnancy, but rather prevents it.  Emergency contraception, also known as the morning after pill, has long been the center of heated political debate, because many inaccurately believed that the pill acts after an egg has been fertilized.  However, science has confirmed that the pill does not, in fact, operate like this, but rather prevents ovulation from happening at all. 

National Men’s Health Week

It’s National Men’s Health Week, and Planned Parenthood encourages all men to celebrate by scheduling a visit with their local Planned Parenthood center.  Though the majority of Planned Parenthood’s services provide care for women, seven percent of Planned Parenthood’s patients in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota are men who turn to Planned Parenthood for sexual health care like STI testing and treatment, condoms, and education.