Be Vigilant and Protect States Rights to Regulate your Health Care Coverage

Everyone deserves health care coverage, but what is the coverage worth if you still cannot afford necessary tests?

I don’t want the government to have to be involved in the choices I make, but I also want people to have access to affordable health insurance and health care!

Apparently, we need regulation to ensure that all Americans get the health care they deserve. Because different areas have different needs as well as different values, regulation of individual choices are probably best kept at the State level...It is a complicated issue, one further complecated by the particular needs of women.

I first heard about this issue after I receiving a Take Action Alert from Planned Parenthood. Without this message, I would not have known that there was legislation regulating my health insurance. After reading the Action Alert, I immediately took the two minutes they said it would take to slightly edit their form letter and email it to my representatives.

But not wanting to be a complete chump, I checked around to see the bill and try to understand why other people supported it.

Ultimately, I am glad I wrote my resentatives to tell them that I opposed the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2005 bill S. 1955 .

According to Tom Stevens an Op-Ed in The Hill on May 2, 2006, S. 1955 is a reason to thank the government for looking out for our health care needs, for making health insurance affordable for SMALL BUSINESSES.

Ethan Heitner at TomPaine.com points out what I would expect more Repulicans to take note of, that S. 1955 is looking to flatten State's Rights and impose a "one size fits all" policy that would ultimately benefit health insurance companies more so than small business or clients.

Opponents to S. 1955 include the American Health Association, the American Diabetes Association, the American Chiropractic Association and on and on....

For a more personal look at why we should oppose S. 1955 visit the blogspot Six Until Me

Health Insurance is way too expensive! If S. 1955 passes, women are not the only one's whose health care will be effected, but they will be the hardest hit.

According to Planned Parenthood women will lose many services that advocates have fought for 10 years to get legislation passed in 23 states! The legislation ensures coverage for expensive and necessary screenings and procedures for quality care as well as preventative measures against potentially fatal (as well as terribly expensive) diseases!!

I am not sure if it is the job of government to regulate any market, but without these regulations I imagine that many, many women would not have received mammograms, cervical cancer or osteoporosis screenings, or would being pay full price for contraceptives. Families would not have received well-child care or a myriad of other services including diabetes medicines and other cancer screenings.

If this government regulation goes away, I really do not think health insurance companies would lower premiums. I think the premiums would stay the same while clients, and women in particular, would be paying high prices for important preventative care as well as basic quality services like:

• maternity care
• the ability to go straight to your OB/GYN when you have aproblem
• the ability to stay with the same doctor throughout apregnancy

Although I have my doubts about some services being necessary, when I consider how many children in the world need good parents, I am not certain I would want to take away a woman’s access to something like infertility treatment.


If you are wondering what services you could lose in your home state, you can find out at Planned Parenthood http://www.ppaction.org/network/himmaa.html.

If you are ready to take action, and show your oppostition to S. 1955 go here: http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/benefits2

Please also go this site to learn more about how to get your insurance in your state to COVER YOUR PILLS!!!
http://www.covermypills.org/