“Am I the only one who thinks government-mandated health care telling me that my children are ‘targeted diseases’ is utterly revolting?” This is a fair question asked by Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life.
To what is Kristin referring? The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), at the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has decided to re-define women’s health care, mandating that by 1-1-13 insurance providers give women a range of new “preventative services” free, no co-pay or deductible.
These “preventative services” are to include all FDA-approved birth control. This means even proven abortion-causing drugs such as ella and Plan B. To be given “free” to married or unmarried women. So, with Kristin, I ask: Since when is pregnancy a “disease”?
On July 19, the IOM released a Consensus Report: “The IOM defines preventative health services as measures — including medications, procedures, devices, tests, education and counseling — shown to improve well-being, and/or decrease the likelihood or delay the onset of a targeted disease or condition.” Under these conditions, insured women will have access to free birth control because pregnancy has been redefined as a ‘targeted disease.”
This presidential administration wants women to have free access to abortion and cancer-causing birth control in order to fight the “disease” of pregnancy, notes Kristin, yet “medication that literally keeps my 2-1/2 year old son, Gunner, from dying costs my husband and me hundreds [of dollars] every month.” Gunner has cystic fibrosis.
HHS announced new preventive-care guidelines will require all health insurance policies written on or after August 1, 2012, to offer contraceptives and other women’s health services without copays, coinsurance, or deductibles. Included in the guidelines are voluntary sterilization procedures, breastfeeding support and equipment, annual well-woman visits, counseling on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases and screenings for human papillomavirus, or HPV, gestational diabetes, and domestic violence.
There are many individuals and organizations who protest on moral, ethical and economic grounds. Supposedly, “religious” employers may “opt out” of the mandate. However, NARAL — the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws — is urging its members to write HHS, saying, “I am concerned that certain religious employers may be allowed to opt out of the requirements. All women should have access to contraceptive coverage, regardless of where they work.” Has NARAL forgotten? Birth control is widely available and publicly funded programs already provide it for women who cannot afford it.
Is pregnancy a “disease?”
Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring. New human life. To be pregnant means to be “with child.” Every child is fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Every child is knit together in the secret place of his or her mother’s womb. Within the womb, and not by accident, the placenta nestles around the child to nurture and protect.
Pregnancy is not a disease. Were it true, what would that make each of us?
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