Get Your Religion Out of My Vagina, Part 2

Calculator and notepad placed over stack of USA dollarsSometimes you may find yourself working for an employer that may not perfectly align with one of your personal beliefs. This may be out of necessity, to you know, live and pay your bills, while others may change jobs due to higher pay and the offer of health care insurance.

Under the Affordable Care Act, there are 10 essential health benefits that all plans offered by the Marketplace must cover. 

  • Ambulatory patient services
  • Emergency services
  • Hospitalizations (including surgery and overnight stays)
  • Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
  • Mental health and substance use disorder services
  • Prescription medications
  • Rehabilitative services for mental and physical conditions
  • Laboratory services
  • Preventative and wellness services and chronic disease management
  • Pediatric services
Plans must also include:
  • Birth control coverage
  • Breastfeeding coverage

Further, the ACA outlines what type of contraceptive methods, when prescribed by a doctor are covered. 

These include:
  • Barrier methods, like diaphragms and sponges
  • Hormonal methods, like birth control pills and vaginal rings
  • Implanted devices, like IUDs
  • Emergency contraception
  • Sterilization procedures
  • Patient education and counseling

However, with the current administration, there have been some changes that can affect what type of coverage you are able to obtain. In the larger picture, if you work for a religious employer, they get to dictate what kind of life you are able to achieve. Religious employers can abstain from covering contraceptive methods or counseling, leaving some women in a very precarious position. Either pay out of pocket, or live with the following: 
  • Irregular periods
  • Cramps
  • PMS
  • Anemia
  • Painful endometriosis symptoms
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Acne
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
  • Increased risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers
  • Getting pregnant because Goddess forbid women have and enjoy sex!
Stay Tuned For Part 3!

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