LETTER: Women's health care is what's at stake | Women Health ...

Posted by admin on March 25th, 2012

As a public health physician, I feel obliged to respond to the two letters featured in your March 19 edition supporting Rush Limbaugh and castigating Sandra Fluke. Ms. Fluke was testifying on behalf of a fellow student who required oral contraceptives to control a medical condition called polycystic ovarian disease. Despite several pleas from her physician, the university?s health insurer refused to cover the medication, which the young woman was eventually unable to afford. This lack of medication resulted in painfully enlarged ovarian cysts requiring surgical removal of the ovary. Thus Ms. Fluke?s testimony had nothing to do with oral contraceptives for birth control purposes, but with the broader issue of women?s health.

The Affordable Care Act mandates that all health insurance policies provide coverage for preventive services, such as immunizations and many cancer screening tests, without co-pays or deductibles. The Institute of Medicine (an independent, nonprofit organization which is part of the National Academy of Sciences) has recommended that contraception be included among these preventive services, since preventing unwanted pregnancies is a critical component of women?s health care. An estimated one million unplanned pregnancies annually will be prevented by this insurance coverage. The Obama administration agrees with this recommendation, which is supported by the entire medical profession.

By the way, New York State already mandates that ALL health insurance policies? (including those provided by churches) within the state cover contraceptive services.

STUART GILLIM, M.D.
Canandaigua
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Article source: http://www.mpnnow.com/opinions/x760599080/LETTER-Womens-health-care-is-whats-at-stake

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