It’s a Big F**king Deal: Free Preventive Care for 47 Million Women Kicks in Today

[babylonsister]

It’s a Big F**king Deal: Free Preventive Care for 47 Million Women Kicks in Today

By: Sarah Jones
August 1st, 2012



Today is the start of free preventive care for women courtesy of President Obama and the Democrats in Congress. It includes among other things free preventive care for moms and babies. Naturally, Republicans tried to block this portion of the Affordable Care Act from kicking in today because healthy women, moms and babies are not a conservative priority.

This portion of the Affordable Care Act, which grants preventive health care services without co-pays or additional out-of-pocket costs, impacts 47 million women. National Organization for Women President Terry O’Neill said, “No longer will women be compelled to forego or delay needed preventive care due to economic hard times.”

snip//


NOW notes:

These guidelines also require insurers to cover mammograms, pap tests and other critical preventive services. Breast and cervical cancer are leading causes of death among women, and early detection is key. According to the National Cancer Institute, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and when it is detected early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent. That’s why it’s so important that the Affordable Care Act gives women access to an annual health exam without any co-pays.

Other preventive services include screening for gestational diabetes; domestic violence screening and counseling; breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; HPV testing; screening for sexually transmitted infections and counseling for sexually-active women; and HIV screening and counseling. And beginning in 2014, women can no longer be charged more than men for the same health plans and can no longer be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

The ACA also covers such pro-life preventive care as maternity and well-baby care. What do Republicans have against babies and pregnant women?

more...

http://www.politicususa.com/celebrates-todays-aca-milestone-womens-health.html

[gademocrat7]

1. K&R

[onehandle]

2. 'As President, Mitt Romney Promises To Kill Women.'

Political ads are so easy to write.

[gateley]

3. K&R!!!!!!!

[rfranklin]

4. I don't think it should be called "free" since we will be paying insurance premiums to get it...

The term "free healthcare" is pejorative and inaccurate.

[rtracey]

6. So

You would be paying insurance premiums without it too. The insurance crooks, whoe I mean insurance companies will continue to raise rates, even if the ACA was not put in place. This just give women the advantage of going to have these vital tests performed with needing to use out of pocket cash

[rfranklin]

9. Yes, but as a matter of framing it should not be labeled as "free"

It is a feature of the insurance coverage which everyone will be paying premiums for.

[babylonsister]

13. See #10; this woman has no insurance and is benefitting. nt

[Igel]

18. Unless the doctor is volunteering his time

and there's no wear and tear on the equipment, somebody's paying somebody for something.

If only for the electricity.

Otherwise the taxpayers of New Jersey are springing for her care.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/nyregion/after-vetoing-portions-christie-signs-31-7-billion-budget.html

Zero sum game at this point. Her benefits means somebody elsewhere loses something. It might be a 1%er. It might be a teacher not getting chemicals for her chemistry class so she'll be on the vinegar and baking soda plan. Every lab will involve vinegar, baking soda or--the really exciting days--both.

[veganlush]

28. you are absolutely right.

I was about to post the same then I saw yours. opponents will jump on the "free" thing, and it's inaccurate. it's what we pay premiums for.

[kestrel91316]

5. I thought this was only for NEW policies issued as of today, and that existing policies

could continue to NOT cover this.

[Freddie]

33. Effective with the start of each plan's new plan year

The Aug 1 date is misleading

[kestrel91316]

36. Oh, that's great! I'm glad i was mistaken.

[riverbendviewgal]

7. The republicans are outraged. - comparing this day to Pearl Harbor Day or 9/11

Criticizing President Barack Obama's health care reform law on Wednesday, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) likened the requirement that private insurance plans provide contraception coverage to two of the most devastating attacks on American soil.

"I know in your mind, you can think of the times America was attacked," he said at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "One is Dec. 7, that's Pearl Harbor Day. The other is Sept. 11, and that's the day the terrorists attacked. I want you to remember Aug. 1, 2012, the attack on our religious freedom. That is a day that will live in infamy, along with those other dates."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/mike-kelly-birth-control-mandate_n_1729242.html

[ailsagirl]

22. If that weren't such an outrage, I'd laugh

Those SCUM, using the day we were attacked and 3000+ people were murdered to make their ludicrous point??? How low can they go?

SCUM-OF-THE-EARTH

[Monk06]

25. Pearl Harbor and 911. The GOP are shameless and have no idea how cruel they sound.

[ailsagirl]

37. Using those tragedies to further their agenda is abhorrent

and deeply despicable. They have no shame.

[Freddie]

32. He's from the Alabama part of PA

[leftstreet]

8. Huh? Where's the 'free' part?

What bullshit you're peddling with this link

[babylonsister]

11. Read response #10. What bullshit are YOU peddlin'? nt

[leftstreet]

16. Total crap. Most states already have low income programs

for things like mammograms, etc.

There's no reason the Obama admin shouldn't be proud of these insurance regulations they won. But supporters do the admin a disservice by lipsticking this thing.

It's not free healthcare.
It's not single payer.
It's not even a public option.

[Freddie]

29. It's better than nothing.

Or the GOP plan: "if you get sick, die quickly"

[nradisic]

10. My wife can finally get a free mammogram.

We haven't had insurance in over a year. My wife's Mom died from breast cancer, so my wife is at risk and used to get checked yearly, but not since we lost our insurance. She applied for a NJ state program that allows for free preventive care and she heard back today. She is getting a free Pap & Mammogram on August 21st.

The ACA is working our family. Thanks President Obama. Our kids are as of last month covered by NJ Familycare for a very affordable monthly premium.

[babylonsister]

12. Thanks for sharing that, and I'm happy for her!

I definitely need to take advantage of this as I don't have insurance either.

[marlakay]

14. I can't find any info to see if it covers

colonoscopies now?? I have to have one in a few months and my portion even with insurance was a few thousand last time.

[Freddie]

30. I think it does

But if they "find something" and remove a polyp it's no longer free

[Kath1]

15. August 1, 2012 - a great day!

National Organization for Women President Terry O’Neill said, “No longer will women be compelled to forego or delay needed preventive care due to economic hard times.” About time!


"It’s a Big F**king Deal." I agree 100%. Long overdue but much appreciated.

[ailsagirl]

23. Yet the repukes are comparing it to Pearl Harbor and 9/11

How do they sleep at night???

Using our national tragedies to their own ends-- I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But I am disgusted.

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. K&R

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

19. There's an election coming up, right?

Man, would I hate to be the poor dumb bastard who has to run against the incumbent who just provided free health care to 47 million voters. Jesus, that would suck something fierce.

[DCKit]

20. "What do Republicans have against babies and pregnant women?"

Everything. They hate babies, and they're terrified of women.

Once you're out of the womb, you're on your own.

[Freddie]

31. Women should have a baby annually

And die at age 35, like my great-grandmother. The Repugs want to go back to the good old days.

[zipplewrath]

21. It isn't preventative "care"

We've discussed this a few weeks ago. This isn't "preventative" care. Truly, it isn't "care" at all. It is basically screenings. The screeinging doesn't "prevent" anything, it merely diagnoses. If you're healthy, there is no direct out of pocket cost (other than the premiums). But if they find anything, and you actually need health CARE, that isn't free by any stretch of the imagination. Furthermore, if they find something that requires additional screenings, those aren't "free" either.

My last colonoscopy was "free" (under my "cadillac" policy I have). They found stuff. They biopsied some (that cost). They recommended I have another one in 3 years. That one won't be "free" either. They are only free every 10 years. I've yet to meet anyone that isn't advised to have one within 5 years.

I'm glad screenings are "free". I knew too many women that had trouble coming up with the copay for the mammograms. But lets not pretend anyone is getting "free" health care. It isn't care and it isn't "free". But people are now getting screenings without out of pocket expenses, which is a good thing.

[cali]

24. Sorry, screenings are a BIG part of preventative care

[zipplewrath]

38. I understand what you mean

Preventative care can't start until the problem is diagnosed, and the screening is a part of the diagnosis process. The sad point though is that they ONLY part of the process that is covered is the diagnosis, not the actual care. The diagnosis isn't care, what follows is. The care is no more covered that it ever was.

[MrDiaz]

27. hate to ruin the party

But it is NOT FREE! Somebody somewhere is paying for these doctors to do this. NOTHING IS FREE!

[Freddie]

34. What the ACA is attempting to accomplish here

Is to establish a baseline of what constitutes a "health insurance plan" so employers and insurance companies can't just call any worthless junk that covers nothing "health insurance." By all their howling about "religious liberty" the Carholic Church is trying to get around the standards of what is now considered an acceptable health care plan.
Contraception is considered preventive care because doctors now recommend that a woman wait at least 2 years between pregnancies.

[MrDiaz]

35. I Agree

I am just saying that its not free, like alot of people here seem to think.