Planned Parenthood | Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

President Obama’s speech on health care reform and addressing the plan’s myths

September 11, 2009 9:56:46

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by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

President Obama delivered a strong speech about his plan for health care reform on Wednesday night. (If you missed it, you can read his remarks here, or watch his speech here). He made an especially strong case for the need to take action NOW, explaining that lack of proper health care coverage is an issue that a lot of people face, not just those who are unemployed.

These are middle-class Americans. Some can't get insurance on the job. Others are self-employed, and can't afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance companies decide are too risky or too expensive to cover.

Women, particularly, are suffering under our current health care system. Women are less likely than men to have employer based insurance. Also, women pay 68% more out-of-pocket costs than do men, largely due to their reproductive health needs. There are over 16 million uninsured women—Considering the fact that 52% of women forgo health care because of its associated cost, this current system is obviously very troubling.

In his speech, the President took a very deliberate approach to addressing some of the myths out their about his proposed plan. When discussing the sources for funding abortion under his plan, the President stated “no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.” A recent column by Ruth Marcus in the Washington Post, confirms this statement, explaining how it works:

In addition, it requires that the exchanges include at least one plan without abortion coverage—relieving abortion opponents from worrying that their premiums would be used to pay for abortions—and one that offers coverage. Although private plans could include abortion coverage, they could not use federal funds for that purpose. Instead, plans that choose to include this coverage could set aside a portion of their private premiums that could then be used to pay for abortion services.

Marcus further adds:

It is hard to imagine how to craft a more sensitive approach—other than telling women who purchase insurance through the exchanges entirely with their own money that they cannot obtain abortion coverage.

Then again, that would be perfectly fine with some of the critics. Others are happy to seize on any argument, however misleading, that might derail the larger enterprise.

You can read the entire article here.

It is my sincerest hope that people will listen to the facts about reform, rather than buying into anti-choice, and anti-health care reform scare tactics. As President Obama so eloquently explained, the stakes are very high:

Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it the most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true….

…We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it's hard. I still believe—I still believe that we can act when it's hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test.

It won’t be easy, but there are plenty of things you can do to make sure that health care reform that prioritizes women’s health becomes a reality this year. Here’s a quick list:

1. Attend our Rally: If you live in the Minneapolis area, attend our rally before President Obama’s speech at the Target Center to make clear to everyone that women’s health matters. More info.

2.   Tell us your story: Politicians need to hear real stories to understand the importance of improving women's health, so we are collecting stories! Have you been to Planned Parenthood? Have you received free or affordable birth control? How about an annual exam, STI test, or a cervical cancer screening? Tell us your story and why Planned Parenthood was an important health care provider for you.

3.   Write a Letter to the Editor: If you've been reading your local newspaper, you've probably noticed that there's an awful lot of crazy things being said about women's health, family planning, birth control, and abortion—- can you help us dispel the misinformation by writing a letter to the editor? Contact Sally at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), so that we can contact you when come across a letter that requires a pro-choice response chock full of some good ol' fashioned facts. Contact Sally.

4.   Email Congress: and tell them that you won’t support health care reform that leaves women worse off than they are now. More info.