Editorial: Universal contraception a victory for women’s health

Last Friday proved a major victory for women’s health. Last Friday proved a major victory for women’s health.

The Obama administration announced it would go through with a mandate proposed last August that would essentially allow for universal contraceptives for women. Under the mandate, the Department of Health and Human Services will place contraceptives under the “preventative care” category of the Affordable Care Act, and they will be fully covered under private insurance plans. The only exceptions, to some religiously affiliated institutions’ dismay, would be for places of worship and other religious nonprofits that employ and/or serve people of the same faith.

Some religious groups, such as Catholic hospitals and universities, have lobbied against the mandate, calling for a broader range of exemptions. The Obama administration, though, maintained the narrow range we mentioned above.

Even though the range of exemptions has been disputed, both men and women on our staff agree: This mandate is a good thing.

Despite the outcry from religious institutions, we think the exemptions are on point. We recognize that certain faiths and lines of belief view contraceptives as a means of destroying life, but we don’t think employers’ views on birth control should affect the health decisions of their employees.

In fact, a 2011 report from the Guttmacher Institute concludes that contraceptive use is the norm among religious women. The report says that among all sexually experienced women, 99 percent have used a contraceptive method other than natural family planning. And that figure is 98 percent among sexually experienced Catholic women.

It’s clear that this mandate is not a stab at the Catholic Church or other religious groups — the vast majority of sexually active women will benefit from it — if they so choose — no matter what their religious backgrounds are.

Making birth control affordable is a step in the right direction for many reasons.

First of all, it will give women access to reasonably priced contraceptives. Co-pays for birth control can run anywhere from $5 to $50 each month, so millions of women will save hundreds of dollars per year. The mandate will also encourage women who wanted to go on birth control but couldn’t afford it to finally take a positive step toward controlling their sexual health.

Secondly, acknowledging that planned pregnancy is a part of women’s health is a step toward acceptance. Not everyone is tolerant of contraceptives, but perhaps this mandate will facilitate the idea that women who take birth control do so for their own health.

Hopefully the bill will change society’s skewed, double-standard opinions of women and sex. Viagra was covered by health plans to this extent long before birth control will be. For whatever reason, the idea of men having sex is far more benign in our society than the idea of women having sex. Finally, our government has decided to advocate women’s sexual health.

Lastly, more women being able to choose to go on birth control could mean healthier women and children, as well as fewer unplanned pregnancies. In essence, this mandate will foster healthier lives.

And remember — it takes two to do the deed. Affordable contraceptives benefit both men and women.

So come August, millions of women — and men — will be happier, healthier and a little bit wealthier. What’s not to like about that?