Free Birth Control for Women?

From Huffingtonpost.com and

News.yahoo.com

A few weeks ago I read about the provision in a law that will expand preventative health benefits for women and must include birth control with no co pays, staring in 2013. This is part of a broad expansion for women that would also cover breast pumps for nursing mothers, an annual "well women" physical screening for the virus that causes cervical cancer and diabetes during pregnancy, counseling for domestic violence and other services. When I read this I was overjoyed at what a huge step forward this is for women's rights. A great number of my friends have trouble affording the high co pays required for birth control. People without insurance have an even harder time. Places like Planned Parenthood have helped over the years offer birth control at reduced prices, but the cost for women is still high. When I looked more into this law I found out through another article that this law will help women prevent pregnancy and help women space their pregnancies apart enough, 18- 24 months, so they have healthier pregnancies. Research shows this prevents low birth weight, prematurity, and even autism.

The thing that upset me is the proposed religious conscience exemption that would allow religious institutions to opt out of offering birth control coverage. There will be a time for public comment on this exemption at the end of this year. This law also includes all forms of birth control approved by the Food and Drug Administration, even the morning after pill, which causes a lot of controversy for religious groups as well. When I told my friends how great I thought this bill was unless you worked for a religious college or other religious institution they commented to me that the women choose to work there and could just work somewhere else. I realized this person has never been unemployed and never had to leave a job to find a new one. While it is your choice to work at a particular place, with a tough economy and job market I would think some women would think twice about leaving their job or declining a job offer. I think this is a step in the right direction, but still leaves a lot of women treated unfairly. What do others think?