Speak Up for Contraceptive Freedoms for Americans

[jamistlc]

Greetings All Nurses,

I got this action alert in my e mail from Planned Parenthood. Please if you feel so inclined follow the links to join the netwoek or send a letter to your representative! Below is the message in it's whole cut and pasted. The link will is not specific to me so anyone can use it!

Peace,

Jami

CUT AND PASTED MESSAGE------>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you are already an Action Network member, please just REPLY to this message and the letter below will be automatically faxed to your U.S. Representative on your behalf. If you have received this email from a friend, please follow this link to take action on this issue.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/rchoices/lac/

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Dear Jami,

The House could vote as soon as next week on contraceptive coverage for federal employees and we need you take action now!

Since 1998 federal employees have had access to contraception in

their health care plans. Now President Bush wants to take that away and Congress may do just that. Contraceptive equity for federal employees means that if a federal employee's health plan covers prescription drugs it has to cover contraception also. It is simple fairness. This was a major victory for women when it passed in 1998 because right now women pay on average 68% more out of pocket on health care expenses. A large part of that amount is due to reproductive health care, like contraception. That is unfair.

Take action now and please forward this message on to everyone you know concerned with reproductive health issues.

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Dear [your representative],

I urge you to vote for contraceptive coverage for federal employees. The federal Office of Personnel Management has reported that this coverage doesn't cost the federal government any money and has been carried out without complaint. In fact, it may save the government money by reducing unintended pregnancies.

Before contraceptive equity was law some plans did not cover

contraceptives at all and 81% failed to cover all five FDA approved

methods of contraception. Also, eliminating contraceptive coverage requirement puts federal employees at risk for unintended pregnancy and abortion.

Finally, excluding contraceptive coverage discriminates against

women. Last month, a federal district court in Seattle ruled that an employer's exclusion of prescription contraception from a health plan that covers other prescription drugs and devices is sex discrimination in violation of federal law. As an employer, the

federal government should not discriminate against its female

employees.

As we work toward the goal of contraceptive coverage for all women we must make sure that federal employees continue to have access. Many private plans use the federal government as a model. And since the federal government enacted contraceptive equity for federal employees 16 states have followed suit by requiring the same for their residents.

This is a matter of basic health care, basic fairness and basis

equity. I urge you to vote for contraceptive coverage for federal

employees.

Sincerely,

[your name and address]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Encourage others to promote and protect reproductive health

rights by joining the Responsible Choices Action Network at

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/rchoices/join

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You received this message because [email protected] is

a member of the Responsible Choices Action Network.

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send an email to

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or comments about this alert, please send an email to

[email protected].

[moni rn]

Also, I think insurances should help cover infertility treatment.

Just my humble opinion!

[natalie]

Yes, our President "Shrub" wants to do away with BCP coverage but continue to cover Viagra. This guy's killin' me.

http://www.ohio.com/all/2001/April/12/docs/024204.htm

[fiestynurse]

Thanks Jami for informing us about this. I have become an action alert member!!

[jamistlc]

Apparently our Representatives in Washington hear us! From:

http://www.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/07/07.18/20010717legi003.html

"WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) Jul 17 - The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday voted to restore to the funding bill for the federal workforce a requirement that health plans that cover prescription drugs must also cover prescription contraceptives. The 40-to-21 vote by the committee for the amendment offered by Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. included 12 Republicans.

President Bush in his fiscal 2002 budget requested that the requirement-which has been in effect since 1998-be dropped..."

Wow it is great to be an American and have our collective voices heard! I write about one or two letters a week about this and that. This was one that I was concerned about!

Peace,

Jami

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

I agree with Natalie. It's unbelievable to me that a lot of my friends have to pay full price for their birth control. I guess I'm one of the minority, as my insurance does pay for this. But to think that they'll cover Viagra blows my mind! I recall seeing a commercial regarding the lack of family planning abilities in third world countries. (Anybody else know the commercial I'm talking about?) That will be us soon.

Heather

[jamistlc]

Greetings,

Well I just posted how we get a victory and now we have a set back. Although it is not a new one with the GAG rule in effect it just really upsets me that they set women up for unwanted pregnancies and abortions through their head in the sand attitude. This is from http://www.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/07/07.23/20010720pltl001.html

Bush Administration Denies Family Planning Waivers

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WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Jul 20 - Critics are questioning the Bush administration's decision to reject state requests to offer contraception and family planning services to low-income women through Medicaid.

A Medicaid waiver proposed by the state of New York and denied by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would have expanded family planning services to several hundred thousand more women in the state, advocates said. In Georgia, as well, state officials have reportedly been told that their request to expand Medicaid benefits for family planning services would be rejected.

"We have heard verbally from a number of places...indicating the Department intends to stop approving single service waivers," Peter Slocum, vice president of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, told Reuters Health.

HHS Spokesman Peter Ashkenaz said that the department wants to work with officials in both states "to develop Medicaid waivers that would provide more than a single healthcare benefit. The goal is to make sure that the waivers include some access to primary care services for these folks."

Federal officials insist that it's simply a matter of wanting to expand the scope of waivers to include more primary care services.

"That sounds great, but we and other states have put in a lot of time developing waivers...and sending them off to Washington for review...and now they're changing the rules on us," Slocum charged.

New York proposed providing contraceptives and counseling, as well as screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, to women who earn up to 200% of the poverty level, or $22,500 for a family of two.

Family Planning Advocates said that it is calling on members of Congress to intervene, saying that a decision by the government to reject the waiver could delay the proposed expansion by several years.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America also denounced the administration's move. "Despite campaign promises to care for all Americans, President Bush continues to deny women the very services that will reduce the prevalence of abortions," said Gloria Feldt, president of the advocacy group. "It is the height of hypocrisy" for Bush, an anti-abortion president, to "limit women's access to the very thing that prevents unintended pregnancies," she said.

[Stargazer]

I have talked to a number of people on another site who plan to take their $300/600 tax refund and contribute it to Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, or other group. I thought this was brilliant, 'cause let's face it, $300 isn't going to change anyone's life.

Better yet, if you go to this website, they will match your $300/600 donation to any organization on their list of donors. AND send a thank-you card to the White House informing the President of your donation. :)