OMG - seriously people?

I've been getting myself all worked up lately over national politics. This whole contraception thing is ridiculous. I was in a position while in school, where I paid for my private health care insurance, but when I went to use my insurance for a doctor's visit and was prescribed a hormonal contraceptive to treat a reproductive problem, my insurer refused to cover the needed medicine because they didn't cover birth control.

I remember speaking to their representative and I assured her it wasn't for birth control, I was in a same-sex relationship. My doctor even sent in paperwork twice saying it was a valid medical need, not associated with birth control, and that they either cover the minor cost for the medicine, or they could cover the larger expense of surgery for me. They refused.

I asked the insurance rep, "just out of curiosity, do you cover Viagra?" She said, "yes." I about went through the roof. They also covered all maternity expenses. I was not attending a religiously based school either, this coverage was solely the decision of the insurance company.

I tried explaining to the insurance rep that insurance companies are all about making money, surely it must cost more to cover maternity expenses than birth control expenses. She was sympathetic, but had no control over what the Board of Directors decided.

I asked her if she knew who the Board were? She said "yes, there's a picture of them right here on the wall." I asked her if they were all white, they were. I asked her if they were all men, they were. I said do they all look over the age of 50, she said yes. So those guys, decided what was best for me medically and thousands of other women. Needless to say, I switched insurance companies.

This whole debate in Congress lately about contraception is not about "giving women free birth control." It's about insurance companies providing birth control coverage as part of their insurance package, a package for which the women are already paying. Example, the insurance I have now covers birth control, just like any other medicine. I pay insurance premiums for that coverage, and I have a co-pay each time I purchase birth control. So, I'm not getting it for free, but I'm also not paying 100% of the cost out of pocket, being insured gives me a more favorable cost for the medicine, just like any other drug my doctor provides. I'd like to hear those oh so religious men justify why Viagra gets complete coverage, no questions asked.

Continuing along those lines of my personal outrage, this morning I was reading CNN on-line and came across more topics that set me off. It reminded me of a friend's bumper sticker: "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."

Million dollar lottery winner says she should continue to receive food stamps and public assistance. Asked if she had the right to the public assistance money, Clayton answered, "I kind of do. I have no income, and I have bills to pay. I have two houses." Here's a brilliant solution, sell one of the houses and go to school to learn a skill, then get a job. Or, just sell a house and use that money to start a business or live off of that for awhile. CNN story

UPDATE: Public assistance pulled. CNN Story


A woman's work is never done? What century are you people trying to drag us back to? CNN Story