Another attack on women's healthcare.
This article in the Virginia-Pilot:
http://content.hamptonroads.com/...
Prompted me to write the following LTE:
The Pilot’s recent article, "Insurance sticks some patients with bill for mandated vaccine," (Aug. 31st) highlights the inequality in insurance coverage for women’s health. The best way to eradicate cervical cancer is a widespread HPV vaccination. Coverage by private health insurers and government vaccination programs are critical for those in the lower socio-economic brackets who also have lower access to quality healthcare. I have no idea if politics or money (or a bit of both) are behind Optima’s decision. I do know if they are allowed to get away with this flagrant disregard for women’s health, other insurance companies will follow suit.
Women have an equal right to healthcare coverage, yet we see incidents like this all the time. Many insurance plans cover Viagra but not birth control or Emergency Contraception. Did you know that women of childbearing age pay 68% more for basic healthcare than men in the same age group because they must pay for birth control out of pocket? And yet organizations like Planned Parenthood, which is the largest proponent of women’s reproductive health care, are constantly having to fend of legislation designed to marginalize women and take their reproductive healthcare choices away from them.
We need to speak out now and denounce Optima for failing its patients and for failing women.
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It is impossible not to see the common thread here: contempt for women.
It is equally impossible to not do something about it!