The Congress under the order of President Donald Trump has already started the process to remove the Affordable Care Act. With the withdrawal of the act, many will be left without a health care insurance, and there isn’t any clear indication of what will happen to the existing health care plans that thousands already have.
Teen Vogue reported that the current government has made it clear that they will have a new plan ready before withdrawing the old ACA. However, the track record of the new government hasn’t been conducive to the public sentiment, and hence there’s skepticism on the kind of health care act they will formulate.
Reports suggest that women health care will be severely affected by the new legislation passed by the Republican government under President Trump. The central feature of Obamacare was the importance given to women’s health, and that is set to be compromised soon.
Diane Black, a Republican rep., made it clear that birth control won’t be a part of the new health plan that the government will draw. No-copay birth control was a major part of Obamacare for the past eight years, and now Black has made it clear that the Republicans aren’t interested in continuing with it.
When enquired if birth control was a part of the health care plan that they are drawing up, Diane Black was quick to inform that it wasn’t a part of their program. Under the Affordable Care Act, the insurance providers were asked not to charge anything for birth control, apart from some minor exceptions.
Now, if the new health plan doesn’t include the no-copay feature, then millions of women who use contraceptives and birth control measures will see a significant rise in their medical bills and will have to shell out the whole expense from their own pockets.
Reports suggest that an IUD will cost almost $1000 without an insurance cover and the women will have to pay for it themselves without an insurance cover to fall back on. Birth control is an important drug, and numerous women use it to have the freedom to plan their families and lead a healthy lifestyle
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged her Republican counterparts to realize that the main reason for the no-copay feature was to prevent women from paying more for their healthcare because of their gender. The Affordable Care Act made a huge difference in the lives of numerous families. The women were assured that they would not be demarcated for their gender.
While many are shocked to hear about the absence of no-copay birth control in the new health plan, several knew this was coming. Senator Tom Price, who was appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services had said that majority of the women who avail birth control are rich enough to avail them and hence the no-copay feature isn’t required.
The reality is slightly different from what the Republican are portraying it to be. More than 13 million women in the US didn’t have access to health care and insurance in 2013, and they saw a better health care plan thanks to Obamacare.
House Budget Chair Diane Black made it clear that birth control wasn’t included in the employer-sponsored health plan. However, the women who want to avail the facility can quickly go to other clinics and avail the same benefit.
Obamacare made it possible for millions to have affordable and convenient health care plans. This not only made medical benefits readily available but also allowed millions of women to have the right to control their pregnancy without incurring additional costs.