South Dakota Planned Parenthood Advocate

Obama Addresses Planned Parenthood Conference

Last week President Obama addressed the Planned Parenthood 2013 National Conference.  History was made this day as President Obama became the first sitting President to address Planned Parenthood.

Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, touted the major advancements for women made by the President. From passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, renewing the Violence Against Women Act, and, most significantly, championing the Affordable Care Act, which allows young adults to stay on their parents health insurance until age 26, provides no-cost birth control, prohibits denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions, removes discriminatory gender-based premiums, and so much more.

In his speech President Obama called out extreme anti choice legislation passed in North Dakota outlawing a woman’s right to choose to terminate a pregnancy as early as six weeks- even if she has been raped. He also referenced the state level efforts, like in Mississippi, to pass Personhood laws that would have far reaching consequences including limiting access to invitro fertilization and some forms of contraception- a battle which is looming on the horizon in North Dakota.

Watch the President’s address in its entirety here…

 

 

~Amy Jacobson ND Public Affairs Manager at PPMNS

SCOTUS Upholds the Affordable Care Act: What this Means for Women

In a tremendous victory for all Americans, the Supreme Court upheld the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), an act that extends health care coverage and seeks to eliminate the barriers to receiving affordable medical care.  While this ruling will impact the lives of all Americans, it has an especially powerful effect on women’s health care.

Under the current health care system, women can be denied coverage for having had a C-Section, breast cancer, or even for having been sexually assaulted.  The ACA changes this and ensures that insurance companies cannot deny coverage based upon a pre-existing condition. 

Additionally, the ACA ends the practice of charging women more for insurance simply because they are women.  This widespread practice, currently present in 90% of top insurance providers, costs women more than $1 billion dollars annually, with some companies charging women 85% more than their male counterparts.

We Need More Women in (Every) Office

Two weeks ago SDSU hosted Richard Fox from Loyola Marymount University to present on his joint study, Men Rule.

The Fox and Lawless study found that of men and women, of being generally equal in experience and qualification, women were far less apt to consider themselves qualified to run for office.

This is bad news considering the need for more women in office. According to a recent CBS news report,

At a White House forum on women and the economy Friday, President Obama suggested more women are needed at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue on Capitol Hill.

"Fewer than 20 percent of the seats in Congress are occupied by women," he said. "Is it possible that Congress would get more done if there were more women in Congress? Is that fair to say?"

Low as the percentage cited by Mr. Obama may be, it still marks an increase over generations past, and there is hope that this fall's election may give those numbers a boost.

On a side note, according to the U.N., the United States ranks 71st in the world for the number of women in the legislature -- behind nations like Vietnam and Kazakhstan. Rwanda ranks number one.

Currently, there are 41 women running for the state legislature in South Dakota. These numbers may change based on the outcome of the June 5 primaries and the possibility of more women running as independents.

~ Carmen, Planned Parenthood Advocate

It’s up to us, ladies!

According to AP article, Obama gains with women: Jobs, social issues help, “It's looking like President Barack Obama may be back in the good graces of women.”

For Obama, there is no more crucial constituency than women. They make up a majority of voters in presidential elections, and a bit more of them identify with his party. He would not be president today without topping Republican John McCain in that group in 2008. ‘Women are used to making decisions and running their lives,’ said Linda Young, president of the National Women's Political Caucus, which favors abortion rights. ‘To hear their right to contraception questioned in 2012 is shocking, and it's gotten a lot of people's attention.’

This all ties into the Blunt Amendment that would allow health plans to deny coverage for any service that violates the employer’s beliefs, which could include HIV/ AIDS treatment, maternity care for unmarried women, or contraception.  Read the full article here.

~Carmen, Planned Parenthood Advocate

Rally for Birth Control!

Thank you to everyone who braved the snow in support of birth control for ALL women this afternoon in Sioux Falls! Our supporters are the BEST!

Congress is expected to vote as soon as next week on a measure introduced by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) that would not only overturn the birth control coverage benefit, it would undermine the entire notion of health insurance.

In short, the Blunt proposal says that employers and insurance companies do not have to provide coverage for ANY essential health service that they object to on the basis of personal religious belief or moral convictions.

That means employers and insurance companies can not only deny access to birth control, they can deny access to any essential health care service, including maternity care, HIV/AIDS treatment, mammograms, cancer screenings: you name it.

The Blunt proposal is designed to eviscerate critical protections included in the Affordable Care Act and to completely undermine a fundamental principle of the health care law—that everyone in this country deserves a basic standard of health insurance coverage.  

~ Carmen, Planned Parenthood Advocate

NOT "Just a Few Dollars"

Politicians like Rick Santorum say that this birth control issue isn't a big deal because it "costs just few dollars." REALITY CHECK! Enter your age and contraceptive of choice and find out how much you could expect to pay for birth control through the average age of menopause.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans will cover women’s preventive services, including contraception, without charging a co-pay or deductible. 

Unfortunately, this fight continues in Congress. One bill, the Rubio-Manchin bill, would allow any business or corporation, on the basis of personal religious belief or moral conviction, to take away birth control coverage from their employees. Another bill, sponsored by Senator Blunt (R-MO), would drastically undermine women’s health and allow any employer or health plan to refuse to cover any health care service they object to on religious or moral grounds.

Planned Parenthood will continue to remain vigilant in protecting women’s access to health care at the state and federal levels.

The Team Roe Times February Issue!

We are excited to present to you the second issue of The Team Roe Times in 2012, a joint project between Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and NARAL Pro Choice South Dakota!

 

Packed inside this fabulous issue is a book review of one of the most interesting books I’ve read on adoption, “The Baby Thief”, updates on the South Dakota Legislature, the birth control employer refusal, and two new choice words AND SO MUCH MORE! Please enjoy and share widely.

Download The Team Roe Times Vol 2 Issue 2

President Obama Reaffirms Commitment to Women’s Access to Birth Control; Fight Continues in Congress

In the face of an outrageous assault on women’s health, the Obama administration has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring all women will have access to birth control coverage, with no costly co-pays and no additional hurdles, no matter where they work.

“Our number one concern is making sure women have access to basic health care, including access to contraception, and Obama’s announcement today means that all women will have that access no matter where they work or who their employer is,” said Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS). “The compliance mechanism does not compromise a woman’s ability to access critical birth control benefits.”

The Obama Administration’s announcement clarifies how religious organizations can comply with the law and means that health insurance companies, not Catholic businesses, will absorb the cost of the co-pay for contraception. The president strongly stood up to those who were trying to deny this benefit to women who work in religious institutions.

Planned Parenthood continues to believe that those institutions that serve the broad public, employ the broad public, and receive taxpayer dollars, should be required to follow the same rules as everyone else, including providing birth control coverage and information.

“As a trusted health care provider to one in five women, Planned Parenthood’s priority is increasing access to preventive health care. This birth control coverage benefit does just that,” Stoesz continued.

Unfortunately, this fight continues in Congress. One bill, the Rubio-Manchin bill, would allow any business or corporation, on the basis of personal religious belief or moral conviction, to take away birth control coverage from their employees. Another bill, sponsored by Senator Blunt (R-MO), would drastically undermine women’s health and allow any employer or health plan to refuse to cover any health care service they object to on religious or moral grounds. 

Planned Parenthood will continue to remain vigilant in protecting women’s access to health care at the state and federal levels.

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Contact: Jen Aulwes, 651-755-9557

A Huge Victory for Women!

After a massive outpouring of concern expressed by Planned Parenthood supporters, President Obama has rejected efforts to cut off access to birth control for millions of women! Sign our thank-you card to President Obama.

Today United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius/the Obama administration announced that it will make no changes to the birth control coverage benefit under the Affordable Care Act. This decision is grounded in sound medical science and health policy and protects access to affordable birth control for millions of women, including women who are employed by a religiously affiliated hospital, university, or other religiously affiliated organization that serves the broader public.

Birth control is not just basic health care for women; it is an economic concern. This commonsense decision means that millions of women who would otherwise pay $15 to $50 a month will have access to affordable birth control, helping them save hundreds of dollars each year.

This benefit does not require that anyone dispense or use birth control.  It is simply a benefit that ensures women have adequate health insurance coverage that includes affordable birth control.

This policy represents one of the greatest advancements for women’s health in decades and ensures that millions of women will have access to affordable birth control. Thank you President Obama! Sign our thank-you card today.

Letter: Government should not limit affordable birth control

There's a great letter to the editor of SDSU's The Collegian today by the delightful Libby Trammell. I thought our Planned Parenthood Advocate readers would enjoy it.

Carmen

House Republicans are attacking a recent decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to require new insurance plans to cover birth control with no co-pays.

They are pushing to undermine this preventive care provision by allowing Catholic hospitals and schools to be exempted, even though these organizations employ and serve individuals of different faiths and backgrounds. It would mean millions of workers and their families would lose access to affordable birth control.

For college students like me who worry about the cost of living and tuition, the HHS decision is huge. I want to plan a family — but only after I’ve graduated and am financially stable. The reality is that women of all faiths use birth control and would benefit from access to birth control with no co-pays: 99 percent of sexually experienced women in the U.S. use birth control at some point in their lives, including 98 percent of sexually experienced Catholic women. Birth control is an essential part of women’s preventive health care.

Representative Noem and the House Republicans are wrong on this issue. Instead of focusing on jobs and the economy, they are spending their time trying to take affordable birth control away from women.

Libby Trammell
SDSU Student