Another round of letters needed:\u00a0 Thanks for continuing to be heard and seen on this important issue!<\/p>\n
A recent Associated Press story ran in the San Francisco Chronicle and many other papers (see below) under the headline Religious Groups Oppose Birth Control Rule and focused on the conscience exemption, allowing certain religious employers to decline to cover birth control without copayments and deductibles. The story may still be picked up by others. Kathy Bonk <asybinsky@ccmc.org<\/a>> asks us to write letters to the editor.<\/p>\n To write to the SF Chronicle Editor:<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/chronicle\/submissions\/#1<\/a><\/p>\n Here are key points to make:<\/p>\n \u2022 While the Catholic church and the association representing Catholic hospitals oppose the provision, the majority of religious women support including birth control as preventive care, as do the majority of religious groups, such as Catholics for Choice, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Religious Institute and the National Coalition for American Nuns.<\/p>\n [thanks to Raising\u00a0 Women’s Voices for the following, http:\/\/bit.ly\/pxbsDi<\/a>]:<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Covering contraception without co-pays is a popular policy.\u00a0 According to a recent Thomson Reuters- NPR poll, 77 percent of Americans believe that private medical insurance should provide no-cost birth control and 74 percent believe that government-sponsored plans should do the same.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Adopting the IOM recommendations will improve women\u2019s health. Women have unique health care needs especially during the reproductive years. The new HHS guidelines acknowledge these unique needs and treat women\u2019s health with respect.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Covering family planning is cost-effective and will likely save insurance plans money. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, there was no increase in costs at all after Congress required coverage of contraceptives for federal employees in 1998. And a 2000 study by the National Business Group on Health estimated that it costs employers 15\u201317 percent more to not provide contraceptive coverage in employee health plans than to provide such coverage.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 HHS has made an historic decision that will benefit women for generations to come.\u00a0 The HHS guidelines will be good for women’s health and pocketbooks. This decision will give women, their daughters and granddaughters access to the care they need to be healthy at all stages of their lives. It will also ease the budget pressures on families who are struggling in these tough economic times.<\/p>\n Publications that ran the “religious” article:<\/p>\n San Francisco Chronicle (CA): http:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/cgi-bin\/article.cgi?f=\/n\/a\/2011\/08\/07\/national\/w020759D54.DTL<\/a> Thanks! – Ellen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Need letters to the editor on contraception exclusion for the religious Continue reading
\nSalt Lake Tribune (UT): http:\/\/www.sltrib.com\/sltrib\/world\/52341749-68\/catholic-health-hospitals-religious.html.csp<\/a>
\nSeattle Post Intelligencer (WA): http:\/\/www.seattlepi.com\/news\/article\/Religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control-1751869.php<\/a>
\nRacine Journal Times (WI): http:\/\/www.journaltimes.com\/news\/national\/govt-and-politics\/article_e43e8534-8777-5861-a643-06275ee68a39.html<\/a>
\nWashington Post: http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/federal-government\/catholic-hospitals-supported-obamas-health-care-law-but-now-object-to-covering-birth-control\/2011\/08\/07\/gIQAgDmp0I_story.html<\/a>
\nPost-Tribune (IL): http:\/\/posttrib.suntimes.com\/news\/6941419-418\/religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control.html<\/a>
\nNewsday (NY): http:\/\/www.newsday.com\/news\/health\/religious-groups-oppose-birth-control-rule-1.3081763<\/a>
\nForbes: http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/feeds\/ap\/2011\/08\/07\/general-us-free-birth-control-catholics_8606920.html<\/a>
\nBloomberg Businessweek: http:\/\/www.businessweek.com\/ap\/financialnews\/D9OV914O0.htm<\/a>
\nNew York Times: http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/aponline\/2011\/08\/08\/us\/politics\/AP-US-Free-Birth-Control-Catholics.html?_r=1&ref=politics<\/a>
\nTimes-Union (NY): http:\/\/www.timesunion.com\/news\/article\/Religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control-1751869.php<\/a>\u00a0
\nStamford Advocate (CT): http:\/\/www.stamfordadvocate.com\/news\/article\/Religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control-1751869.php<\/a>
\nDesert News (UT): http:\/\/www.deseretnews.com\/article\/700169214\/Religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control.html<\/a>
\nBoston Globe (MA): http:\/\/articles.boston.com\/2011-08-07\/news\/29862037_1_catholic-hospitals-preventive-health-health-and-reproductive-rights<\/a>
\nHerald Democrat (TX): http:\/\/www.heralddemocrat.com\/hd\/News\/National\/A0924-BC-US-FreeBirthControl–3rdLd-Writethru-08-07-1088<\/a>
\nConnecticut Post (CT): http:\/\/www.ctpost.com\/news\/article\/Religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control-1751869.php<\/a>
\nBoston Herald (MA): http:\/\/www.bostonherald.com\/news\/national\/general\/view\/20110807religious_groups_object_to_covering_birth_control\/srvc=news&position=recent_bullet<\/a>
\nABC News: http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/wireStory?id=14249390<\/a>
\nLedger-Enquirer (GA): http:\/\/www.ledger-enquirer.com\/2011\/08\/07\/1685327\/religious-groups-object-to-covering.html<\/a>
\nNews Times (CT): http:\/\/www.newstimes.com\/news\/article\/Religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control-1751869.php<\/a>
\nStar Tribune (WI): http:\/\/m.startribune.com\/nation\/?id=127087808&c=y<\/a>
\nOakland Press (MI): http:\/\/www.theoaklandpress.com\/articles\/2011\/08\/07\/news\/nation_and_world\/doc4e3edf1d2697b577785282.txt<\/a>
\nArgus-Press (MI): http:\/\/www.argus-press.com\/news\/national\/article_2ddd051b-ac43-53ff-be21-418dd51063ca.html<\/a>
\nNew Haven Register (CT): http:\/\/nhregister.com\/articles\/2011\/08\/07\/news\/doc4e3eb7c903134688198745.txt<\/a>
\nGalveston Daily News (TX): http:\/\/galvestondailynews.com\/ap\/4a36f1<\/a>
\nLas Vegas Sun (NV): http:\/\/www.lasvegassun.com\/news\/2011\/aug\/07\/us-free-birth-control-catholics\/<\/a>
\nMiami Herald (FL): http:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/2011\/08\/07\/2348696\/religious-groups-object-to-covering.html<\/a>
\nThe Herald (SC): http:\/\/www.heraldonline.com\/2011\/08\/07\/3276695\/religious-groups-object-to-covering.html<\/a>
\nCleveland Plain Dealer (OH): http:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/newsflash\/index.ssf\/story\/religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control\/3902ef64cdc24ca9aef5aab27d96bf28<\/a>
\nPittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA): http:\/\/www.post-gazette.com\/pg\/11220\/1165920-114.stm<\/a>
\nBellingham Herald (WA): http:\/\/www.bellinghamherald.com\/2011\/08\/07\/2132621\/religious-groups-object-to-covering.html<\/a>
\nSyracuse (NY): http:\/\/www.syracuse.com\/newsflash\/index.ssf\/story\/religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control\/3902ef64cdc24ca9aef5aab27d96bf28<\/a>
\nKansas City Star (KS): http:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/2011\/08\/07\/3061701\/religious-groups-object-to-covering.html<\/a>
\nModesto Bee (CA): http:\/\/www.modbee.com\/2011\/08\/07\/1806288\/religious-groups-object-to-covering.html<\/a>
\nEvansville Courier & Press (IN): http:\/\/www.courierpress.com\/news\/2011\/aug\/07\/religious-groups-object-covering-birth-control\/?print=1<\/a>
\nNew Hampshire Journal (NH): http:\/\/nhjournal.com\/2011\/08\/08\/religious-groups-object-to-covering-birth-control\/<\/a><\/p>\n