Dems Seize Message on Hill Hours Away from Contraceptive Mandate
A set of sweeping HHS policies including the mandate to offer contraceptive coverage without a co-payment is poised to quietly go into effect in a matter of hours.
Democrats hailed the Aug. 1 introduction of these Affordable Care Act services as a turning point at which the American public would finally grasp the magnitude of healthcare reform.
Republicans made a slight plea on the Senate floor for the upper chamber to take up an ObamaCare repeal vote, but were easily beat back by their counterparts on the other side of the aisle.
The new services that will be required to be offered under insurance plans without a co-payment are well-woman visits, gestational diabetes screening, domestic violence screening and counseling, contraception and contraceptive counseling, breastfeeding support and supplies, HPV DNA testings, sexually transmitted infections counseling, and HIV screening and counseling.
The Department of Health and Human Services heralded the change with a report released today stating that the mandate covers about 47 million women.
“The Obama administration will continue to work with all employers to give them the flexibility and resources they need to implement the health care law in a way that protects women’s health while making common-sense accommodations for values like religious liberty,” the HHS said in a press release.
Up on the Hill, a coalition of Democrats commandeered the Senate floor to hail “a new day” in healthcare and tie Republican efforts to block or repeal the mandates to the November election.
“August 1 means that our long-fought battle will actually go into effect. And where does it go into effect? Well, it’s already in effect on the federal law books,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.). “Now it will go into effect in doctors’ offices. Women will have access to the healthcare that their doctor says they need, not what an insurance company says they need or what some right-winger wants to take away from them.”
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) tried to get Democrats to agree to hold a vote on ObamaCare repeal, passed in the House earlier this month.
“Given the fact that our friends are going to focus on this particular bill this entire week, it would be a good idea to have a vote on that bill,” McConnell said at the beginning of the Dems’ speeches.
He suggested tacking on the repeal vote as an amendment to the cybersecurity bill being debated this week.
“Can you imagine how ridiculous my friend the Republican leader’s statement is?” Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) blasted in response. “I don’t think a woman getting contraception has a thing to do with shutting down the power grids in America. … I can’t remain very calm about this.”
Reid noted that half of his 16 grandchildren are female, adding that “if they want some contraceptive device they should have the ability to do that.”
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), referring to the amendment by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) in March to repeal the contraceptive mandate that was tacked onto a transportation bill, asked, “Is there a family-planing amendment on every bill now that will be offered by the Republicans?”
“I guess the answer’s no,” McConnell quipped, vowing to “request the opportunity” to bring a repeal vote to the floor again after Democrats “spend the week lauding the advantages of an intensely unpopular bill.”
Blunt briefly mentioned ObamaCare at a media availability with McConnell after a closed policy luncheon, as Republican senators focused mainly on economic policy statements.
“The Republican leader said let’s vote on it and see before we go home,” Blunt said. “Of all the things we could be doing, talking about our position there, if they want to talk about the bill and take a position on it, the president’s healthcare bill, I think it’d be a good thing to do.”
“If they’re proud of it I don’t know why they wouldn’t want to vote on it,” McConnell added. “It doesn’t have to slow the Senate down. We’d be willing to enter into a time agreement to have a very, very short debate.”
Democrats on the floor said they couldn’t understand why Republicans weren’t sharing in their pride today.
“What is with this idea of repeal? Do you really want to take these benefits away from women, from children, from families?” said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). “I don’t know what motivates them … the only thing I can think of is they want to hurt this president.”
“This isn’t just a war against the pill,” Durbin said. “This isn’t a war against family planning. This is literally a war against women.”
“Why don’t we let Americans see the good parts of healthcare before we repeal it?” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). “And we’re not going to repeal it!” he quickly added.
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), one of the key legislative architects behind propelling ObamaCare into law, warned of the new benefits that if Mitt Romney would be elected, “It’s gone.”
“Does that kind of give you some idea of how they feel about the women of America and the healthcare of our mothers, our sisters, our daughters?” he said. “I think it’s more than passing curious that the Republican leader wants to vote to repeal it on the very day that we’re expanding healthcare coverage for the women of America.”
“I think women know what they’re facing now coming up this fall,” Harkin continued. “…I think the women of America need to have some deep soul searching about who they want deciding their fate after this presidential election.”
Senate Democrats also held a press conference with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to laud tomorrow’s launch. “President Obama is moving our country forward by giving women control over their health care,” Sebelius said. “This law puts women and their doctors, not insurance companies or the government, in charge of health care decisions.”
Special-interest groups added to the unified messaging front. The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice launched a “Celebration, Education Campaign” on the contraceptive coverage going into effect under ObamaCare.
“Unfortunately, false prophets have been misleading the public about healthcare reform and especially about contraception,” Rev. Harry Knox, leader of the group, told reporters on a conference call today. “These naysayers are spending their donor dollars and time on frivolous lawsuits against women’s healthcare. We think this is an outrage.”
At the White House, press secretary Jay Carney defended the mandates when asked about the challenges on religious grounds that have already been upheld by some state courts.
On Friday, the U.S. District Court for Colorado blocked the Obama administration from requiring that Hercules Industries, a Colorado-based air-conditioning company, provide the free contraceptive coverage because the company’s owners oppose birth control on religious grounds. It’s a case that takes debate over the mandate beyond exemption questions for faith-based institutions.
The company has a 3-month reprieve from the mandate, which carries hefty fines if violated, while the judge weighs its constitutionality.
“I’m not going to comment on specific litigation …or broadly on it,” Carney said. “I can tell you that we’re moving forward to implement this important rule that will ensure that women across the country have access to preventive services. It’s a rule that also makes sure that religious liberty is respected.”
While the provisions face their test in court, though, they surely got a day of fanfare in Washington with little retort from the opposition.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) was busy forging an agreement with Reid today to pass a six-month continuing budget resolution when they return from recess in September.
Seventeen Republican freshman including Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), whose repeal bill became the Blunt amendment, and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) will mark the first day of the HHS mandate with a press conference outside the Capitol tomorrow. “The real issues are whether the First Amendment is broad enough to include beliefs with which we disagree, and whether government can tacitly or otherwise force us to abandon our religious beliefs simply because something may constitute sound public policy in certain political circles,” Gowdy said.
The Senate floor today, though, belonged to ObamaCare and birth control.
“For some in this chamber, they wake up every day thinking about how they’re going to stop President Obama, how they’re going to stop his agenda, and how they’re going to do everything they can to stop him from having a second term,” Mikulski said. “Well, you can wake up every day thinking about how you want to stop America from moving forward. That’s not how I spend my day.”
It’s not an unreasonable set of packages – they really are things anyone might need at almost any time. As to the rest? Business as usual. The GOP is positioning themselves badly, here – too many people like what Obamacare can do for them. It’s letting the Dems take the moral high ground of “Heping the average American.”
Unless Obama is ousted in November, the ACA is a done deal. But positioning primarily against the ACA is no way to get rid of Obama. It’ll put too many swing voters on the Dem side of the ballot.
So, exactly where were you in November of 2010?
Certainly not planet Earth.
Malaysia, as it happens. My work takes me to a lot of countries…most of which I’d rather not go to, but that’s another story.
ACA is not a done deal. EVER. This issue is a hill to die on. And I, for one, will never capitulate to this THEFT of our freedoms.
NOT EVER.
Sorry, Darcy. If we don’t get rid of Obama in November, the whole ACA will be so embedded in the bureaucracy that even if we get a Republican-controlled Congress and White House, they’ll just let it slide. It’s like Social Security – trying to abolish that now would be to commit political suicide. The ACA will be the same.
I take it your field is not economics. Neither Social Security or the ACA can keep promises they made, a fact that is being grasped by more voters with each passing month.
I wish someone would ask Harry Reid, a millionaire several times over, why the taxpayers should pay for his granddaughters birth control pills.
Engineering. But my point isn’t whether those programs can survive economically long term (I share your skepticism on that) but whether short-term thinking politicians (which is all of them, regardless of leaning) can be convinced to modify or remove such programs in the short to medium term. On this, I am also skeptical.
Of course, we intend to give the usurper the boot in November. But if the Republican establishment imagines for one single moment that once in charge they can waffle in the slightest degree on full repeal of ACA, they will regret it. The political consequences will be swift and ugly.
I have never been so proud of myself as I am today. Imagine I was able to secure well-woman exams, Diabetes screening both times I was pregnant, and contraceptives for the rest of the time when I didn’t want to be pregnant. I managed to do all of that without ANY input from the Dept of HHS. I guess it was only because the “right-wingers” hadn’t thought to deprive me of that choice.
DO you kool-aid drinkers ever hear yourselves, because I assure you as one of those “swing voters” I find hyperbole like that no different than what flows from the mouths of the red kool-aid drinkers.
Yes we do hear what we’re saying. We’re wondering why you can’t do this for yourself. Apparently, you’re nothing more than a mooch who is too lazy or too incompetent to make it on your own.
And that’s the charitable assessment. You could be much worse, in fact. You just might be a Cloward-Pevin advocate who really wants to bring the entire country down.
“This” in “why can’t you do this…” in my post above refers to contraception, which as was reported for Fluke’s case, was $9 a month and is easily affordable as well as being the point of contention.
I don’t know of any conservative who has opposed diabetes screening or any other reasonable medical procedures for pregnant women, so that point about conservatives being opposed to this is the sort of comment only the truly ignorant or someone blinded by partisanship could make.
Very true. the koolaid drinkers want everyone to believe that the public is too stupid and will never get services on their own, that service did not exist before they came along, it is not available, that it is being blocked or taken away.
The benefit they are talking about? The person will not have to pay the co-pay of $15 for the office visit. woohoo. The person still pays the 20% of more and still pays for scripts.
Considering my insurance will go from $350 (for 2) a month to $1450 a month with a $2500 deductible, that $15 did not go far.
Considering most people with no means can get free contraceptives and all others are on a sliding income scale up to $9 a month and this was traded for the expensive insurance with high deductible, libs were bought and sold cheap.
Go back to No Labels where you came from…David Frum.
“too many people like what Obamacare can do for them.”
Is that why 55% continually oppose Obamacare?
Says who? I’ve seen polls that say exactly the opposite.
I don’t trust polls. They’re always slanted in some way or another. The only one that matters is in November.
So where is the link to those polls?
I smell another Obama campaign troller. ABO2012
Nope. I don’t like Romney or Obama, and I haven’t decided which I’m going to vote for yet (or eve IF I will). I don’t like the ACA – but I don’t like that Romney appears willfully blind to the needs that spawned it, and has no equivalent policy. Or, really, any policies at all.
Polls are meaningless constructs of an ever less viable media service sector. Trying to base anything on perceived poll results is equally meaningless.
“The new services that will be required to be offered under insurance plans without a co-payment are well-woman visits, gestational diabetes screening, domestic violence screening and counseling, contraception and contraceptive counseling, breastfeeding support and supplies, HPV DNA testings, sexually transmitted infections counseling, and HIV screening and counseling.”
I can’t help but notice that there is absolutely nothing in here for men. Nothing. Vasectomies?
A point I’ve tried to make to several…what about men? Last time I looked it took two to tango. Why is it always about women taking responsibility? This whole debate makes women look stupid. I firmly believe the rise in cancer in women is because of being on birth control for so many years.
I’m a man and I want my free stuff too. OK,,, I’m 72 years old and I haven’t had a normal erection in 10 years, but I still want an active and fulfilling sex life just like Obama promised. (He promised the moon to everybody)
Damned politicians just can’t be trusted.
(snark off)
all children like free things.
It’s only adults that know that “free” doesn’t exist.
And apparently, there aren’t many adults left in the country
It’s the infantalization of America.
Call it a prelude to serfdom.
Free huh? Wait a sec, let me check my pay stub.
Nope. Nuh uh.
I paid for my insurance policy it ain’t free bub.
Senate repubs could vow not to vote on a continuing resolution until Reid allows a vote on Obamacare. I “hope” they’re smart enough to have thought of this and then rejected it for reasons I haven’t thought of.
Good idea on that CR & ObamaTax vote…but when it comes to strategy, there’s doesn’t seem to be anyone dumber than a squishy GOP “leader.”
Why America Needs Gov. Gary Johnson in the Presidential Debates Two parties with the same bad ideas don’t represent the extent of electoral choices in 2012. Gene Healy | July 24, 2012
http://reason.com/archives/2012/07/24/why-america-needs-gov-gary-johnson-in-th
Milton Friedman would have been 100 today!
In his book “Capitalism and Freedom” (1962) Milton Friedman (1912-2006) advocated minimizing the role of government in a free market as a means of creating political and social freedom. An excerpt from an interview with Phil Donahue in 1979.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWsx1X8PV_A
I’m so tired of this argument…Planned Parenthood offers “free” contraceptives, birth control…so now we are paying for it again? This whole made up war on women is ridiculous. Remember when you could by a condom in the restrooms for $.50? I don’t consider contraceptives to be “healthcare”.
FREE is NOT FREE the forced payment (highest TAX increase in HISTORY) every month will cover the cost and if you do not pay; the IRS’s new and improved 16,000 agents will take it directly out of your bank account no questions asked. If they still cant get it they will attach your property,your home, or any other tangible thing of value, You think repo people are scary? just wait! NOT what any American wants!
No,DEN, it is NOT the highest tax increase in history. Dislike it all you want (PLEASE!) but don’t lie about it. Depending on how you scale for inflation and actualy dollar value, it’s somewhere between the 15th and 18th highest increase in our history. Some Republican tax increases have been bigger.
Again, show your sources.
Problems always develop with the implementation of any major piece of legislation. Some of those problems will require legislative repair. But without control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress no legislative repairs will be possible. I have a question for Democrats. How are you going to fix the problems and glitches that cause misery and pain when you don’t have complete control of the federal government? This is a problem isn’t it?
You’re assuming that Republicans are heartless spite filled monsters that wouldn’t lift a finger to help their own mother?
I like to think our elected officials have a bit more empathy for the state of their constituents.
Sadly Smoking Cessation products are not being offered. I mean, yes, I smoke, and I wish I didn’t, but it’s a choice. Funny how many states are trying to tax the crap on cigarettes (California) and tell the folks out there how costly smokers are to the medical system, but alas, ACA/HHS has no provisions to provide the necessary and “free” cessation products that I require, no I demand!
Luckily, I don’t need any contraceptive devices, after all I am a guy, but ever since the supremes said if I felt like a women, then by the grace of God, I must be a woman, maybe next week I’ll hop on over to Kaiser and get me some freebies.
#6 Washington76: “Why America needs Gov. Gary Johnson…………” People who actually have a concern about getting spending under control should read this link. Consider that Obama’s record as a big spender is already established.
Then there is Mitt. With annual trillion dollar deficits in D.C. , he wants to increase defense spending, rebuild the navy, and put 100,000 more troops into uniform. I’m all in favor of a strong defense. No idea how to pay for it, though, other than “growth” and “cutting taxes.” The dude is as clueless as Obama. Whatever happened to Bowles-Simpson.
And there is his just ending foreign trip where he managed to insult one of our key allies, the British, and loudly proclaimed Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Ronald Reagan and both President Bushes were smart enough not to get into the Jerusalem issue. But at least Mitt didn’t screw up in Poland, so far.
Johnson has a proven track record of cutting wasteful spending as governor of New Mexico. And he did it without getting bogged down in all the religious social issues like gay rights, personhood, and abortion.
Yup.. as I’ve been saying for months, not a dime’s difference between Robama and Omnay.
The best way to build a strong defensive military is very simple.. and VERY politically incorrest.
STOP nbeing the world’s police force, and get our troops OUT of those 150 plus places overseas where they are either OFFENSIVE miltary (in both senses of the word) or Policemen. Neither are DEFENSIVE roles, and must be stopped (never mind the FACT they are both unconstitutional…. a minor niggly detail). When we’ve got two thirds or more of our forces deployed offshore, (not to mention far more “contract services” from private enterprise) we’ve only got one third for DEFENSE. Billions spent in non defense “defense”……. stupid, onn several fronts.
It is impossible for the Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace with one another until the Palestinians decide they want peace, not a hudna, but real peace. Why then, should we fear telling the truth? Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and so shall she remain.
There seems to be one, and only one message coming out of Washington these days, “Go screw yourselves!”. I seriously doubt that there has ever been an administration or a political party so infatuated with intercourse. Okay, there was Bill Clinton but he kept that mostly to, and for himself.
Do these people look at the rest of us as being nothing more then cattle? A herd of breeders? If so then we’re heading for slaughter at some point. It stands to reason since animals seem to have more rights then people do.
2010 redux. Buh bye!
The Republicans never should have let the Democrats frame this debate as “taking contraception away from women”. It’s not, and yet that’s how the Democrats present their argument. Why aren’t the Republicans calling bovine manure on the whole discussion?
Rebecca, maybe because republicans respect the intelligence of women (unlike democrats) and realize that women don’t need the argument reframed since the democrat’s phony republican “war on women” is such a transparent insulting sham. You certainly didn’t need the argument reframed.
At least Harry and I agree on one thing, we don’t want his grandchildren breeding any more of his genes into the pool.
I’m with you RebeccaH, why are the Pubs letting them dictate the discussion? None of this stuff being discussed is or has been unavailable to women. Just who pays for it. And thanks to kabillions of fed funds given to planned parenthood every year, it’s even been available to low income women for “free”.
Scratch Freedom of Religion from our rights. Freedom of thought is already on the endangered list thanks to the Dems approach to the Chik-fil-a controversy. TSA takes care of Freedom of movement. And in Nov the Dems will try to block conservatives freedom to vote.
If a tax strike doesn’t take care of this tyranny, the following insurrection will.
“Why don’t we let Americans see the good parts of healthcare before we repeal it?” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
So, Chuck is admitting that there are bad parts in the bill.
Thanks, Chuck.
No repeal?
If necessary we will repeal the House, Senate, Presidency & courts. Chunk Shyster & Nasty Pelousy can go pound sand.