WASHINGTON, July 20, 2011 — Yesterday, an independent panel of doctors and health experts recommended that coverage in health plans include a wide-range of birth control options including Plan B, the controversial pregnancy prevention option. It was among a list of 8 recommendations made. Specifically, it asked for “the full range of Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling” to be approved.
The recommendations have gotten many religious groups upset because they say their faith prevents them from supporting certain methods and that by the government mandating coverage for all women of these contraception, it is infringing on their religious values.
“I strongly oppose the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation today,” Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a written statement. “Pregnancy is not a disease, and fertility is not a pathological condition to be suppressed by any means technically possible.”
Some groups like Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Rights Action League have cheered and welcomed the recommendations.
Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a written statement:
“Covering birth control without co-pays is one of the most important steps we can take to prevent unintended pregnancy and keep women and children healthy.”
Many in the Catholic community say, if adopted, these types of recommendations would be one step closer to mandating coverage for abortion.
It is one thing to not believe in certain contraception and abortion and not want others to get one, but indeed it is quite another thing to force people to accept their government mandating coverage for these services.
This is one of those issues that impassion so many that the government perhaps should have been entirely agnostic on it and not had it included in the law at all, or leave to the states to work out.
These recommendations will certainly not be helpful for the Obama administration going into the next re-election cycle as they will only fan and enflame the sensibilities of people against certain certain forms of contraception.
Read more Politics of Raising Children in The Communities at the Washington Times. Follow Jeneba Ghatt at @JenebaSpeaks. Her work can also be read at JenebaSpeaksm BlackWeb 2.0 and Politic365. She also co-hosts a Blog Talk Radio show called Right of Black which tackles current events and politics from a perspective not often seen in the mainstream media.
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