Posted on 06/04/2015 5:59:26 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross
The supposedly pro-woman Left has erupted into fury this past week, denouncing new legislation proposed by Senator Cory Gardner (R., Colo.) that seeks to encourage over-the-counter status for birth control.
Salon’s Katie McDonough called the senator perpetually “full of s**t.” Planned Parenthood’s president claimed that the bill “is a sham and an insult to women.” NARAL Pro-Choice America’s president called the idea “nothing but political pandering to trick women and families into thinking we are covered while dismantling one of the most critical gains in the Affordable Care Act.” And Slate’s Amanda Marcotte called it “just a feint.”
The Left’s reflexive criticism of Gardner’s plan derives from a deep public-sector and special-interest-backed paternalism that wants to control women’s health choices just as much as any other supposed patriarchy.
Removing the pharmacy-counter barrier between women and their birth control would give them vastly more, not less, power over their own health-care choices, also reducing health-care costs and improving access.
Right now, the federal government requires a prescription for birth control, even though other over-the-counter drugs (acetaminophen, for example) bear higher health risks, the directions are straightforward, and there’s no risk of overdose.
Practically speaking, the prescription requirement keeps women beholden to their gynecologist, forcing them to submit to intrusive and uncomfortable once-a-year doctor’s visits in exchange for a pink slip for the pill.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
But so much reproductive health products are in the aisles already - not behind the pharmacy counters. And I’m pretty sure the infamous “morning after pill” will soon join the pregnancy tests and condom displays.
My bet is that planned parenthood makes a lot of money prescribing birth control and this would hit them in the pocketbook. That’s what all the fuss is about.
Over the counter means these women would have to pay the six or seven bucks for it. They’d much rather have Obamacare keep providing it for “free”.
” .... one of the most critical gains in the Affordable Care Act.”
It’s bloody money to liberals. They want to keep the federal government throwing millions of our tax dollars at the abortion industry.
Their objection defies logic. Aren’t they PRO CHOICE? Shouldn’t women have the choice to decide if they want to buy the pill?
The teeth come out when their money supplyn s threatened. Reminds me of gold diggers who seek out extremely wealthy men so they can get married for a year or two then try to take half of everything they own. Planned Parenthood’s reaction to OTC birth control reminds me of the gold digger’s reaction when they’re blocked from getting their greedy hands on that money by a good divorce attorney...: )
Think of the ramifications if suddenly, birth control pills went over the counter. It would mean that women wouldn't have to get a prescription, and they would have to pay out of pocket for the pills. Also, and I think more importantly, as FReeper Buckeye McFrog is suggesting, it might end the huge court battles over employers being forced to provide coverage for the pills.
Why not over-the-counter insulin, over-the-counter cholesterol medications, and over-the-counter blood pressure medicine while we’re at it?
Most countries already allow women to buy birth control without a prescription.
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/world-women-pill-prescription-article-1.1231467
My husbsnd’s primary insulin is OTC and has been for a very long time. Keeps the cost reasonable. Insulins are not subject to patent laws so they don’t go generic. The most recent insulin innovation is $1300 a bottle.
If you want to improve diabetes treatment lowering the cost of insulin would be one if the best steps to take.
Their hypocrisy is breathtaking................
Sounds good to me. I’ve been saying that for years...........................
yep the full article says planned parenthood makes... 1.2 BILLION a year of contraception services...
Our side should have press releases like this. They work.
I'm serious.
It detracts from Planned Parenthood’s bottom line to make this stuff available OTC. That said I would prefer that it remain prescription only as it is easier to fight PP than the whole pharmacy industry. We are making progress against the abortion mills. Now it jumps to total availability and abortion will be as widely available as aspirin. The abortion rate will skyrocket and the official statistics will plummet, along with the already barely sufficient birth rate, as it becomes unquantifiable.
A close family member had to get an Rx because she was having difficult cycles; it had nothing to do with sexual activity. Her doctor told her it was more common for him to write and Rx for her reason rather than the more common reason.
Thankfully, mother nature smiled on her some years later, she got married and blessed us with granddaughter #2 in January.
“the already barely sufficient birth rate”
This was a joke, right?
Without prescription status, people lose their co-pay.
Dead Red Ted Kennedy OPPOSED medical savings accounts and the ability to set aside/bank some of your pre-tax earnings to be used to pay for over the counter medications.
You can still deduct it off your taxes at the end but that doesn’t work for everyone.
I liked Allegra going over the counter. I no longer had to depend on routine doctor’s visits to get my prescription refilled and the over the counter name brand is cheaper than the generic (who knows what it really was or where it was mad) I was forced to buy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.