Route 51 regional talk radio looks at both sides of the debate over national health insurance and the decision by the Obama administration to enforce mandatory coverage of contraception through the Affordable Care Act. Host Glen Moberg moderated a discussion between Julaine Appling, President of Wisconsin Family Action, and Lon Newman, Executive Director of Family Planning Health Services Inc. The issue has become prominent in the upcoming U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin, and has provoked heated exchanges between national pundits, with some decrying a “war on religion” and others a “war on women”.
Route 51, Wisconsin Public Radio regional talk show, can be heard from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Thursdays on the Ideas Network stations WLBL 91.9 FM Wausau, WLBL 930 AM Auburndale/Stevens Point, WHBM 90.3 FM Park Falls, WHAA 89.1 FM Adams/Wisconsin Rapids and for those with a high definition radio, on WHRM 90.9-3 HD
Early Wednesday morning the leadership of the Wisconsin State Assembly scheduled every anti-women’s health bill, available for scheduling, next Tuesday — the last day of session.
Throughout this legislative session, women’s health care has been under attack unlike any time in recent history. This final push to enact these three additional barriers to women’s health that are overwhelmingly opposed by the medical community and community at large is politics at its worst.
But Legislative leaders still have a chance to make it right and stop this attack on women’s health care access. We are asking our supporters to contact the members of the Assembly Rules Committee – who decide what bills get voted on (or not) in the Assembly.
Please contact the Assembly Representatives below ask them NOT to move forward with votes on the aforementioned bills.
We recommend that you call as yourselves and not as a board member or representative of Planned Parenthood. If you are a Republican supporter, we also ask that you make that known to these legislators or their staff.
A coalition of organizations who support women’s health are coming together to hold a rally on Tuesday when the Assembly is in session. The event can be found here on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/events/335946803124736/. Details also follow below.
Women Watch, Women Rally, Women Vote: Mad as Hell Rally!
Last day of the Wisconsin legislative session
Tuesday, March 13
In this podcast I speak to journalist Andy Kopsa about the potential repeal of Wisconsins HEALTHY YOUTH ACT, and other alarming legislative trends around the country.
Kopsa wrote about the appeal for RH Reality Check, and we thought it was a great piece.
Statement of Jackie Bodden, President of the Wisconsin Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (WFPRHA) and Lon Newman, Public Affairs Chair
“Today, President Obama stood behind medical evidence and the constitutional rights of women by guaranteeing that birth control will be covered as preventive service under the Affordable Care Act,” said Jackie Bodden, Reproductive Health Nurse Practitioner and WFPRHA President.
“The President announced a compromise that is acceptable to the Catholic Health Association and to family planning providers and advocates.” Bodden said the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine that the Department of Health and Human Services commissioned were followed in the decision announced today. “Contraception is basic preventive health care and it will continue to be available to improve women’s health for generations,” Bodden said; revisiting remarks she made a few weeks ago after the US Conference of Catholic Bishops began to question the preventive care package regulations.
“President Obama stood for preventive care, for religious freedom, and for reproductive privacy rights today,” said Lon Newman, WFPRHA Public Affairs chair. “He gave religious leaders what they were looking for: an exemption for churches and an exemption from being required to offer or to pay for health services they object to.”
Bodden said that WFPRHA members appreciate the importance of constitutional protections for our individual rights of speech, religious belief and conscience because we serve so many women of so many cultures and religions.
The announcement will not change access to these services in Wisconsin very much, Newman said, because Wisconsin is a state which already requires contraceptive coverage without an exemption to religiously-affiliated employers. “. . . but our first amendment rights and our right to reproductive privacy – including access to confidential preventive health care has been affirmed and strengthened by the President’s announcement today.”
WASHINGTON— The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sees initial opportunities in preserving the principle of religious freedom after President Obama’s announcement today. But the Conference continues to express concerns. “While there may be an openness to respond to some of our concerns, we reserve judgment on the details until we have them,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, president of USCCB.
“The past three weeks have witnessed a remarkable unity of Americans from all religions or none at all worried about the erosion of religious freedom and governmental intrusion into issues of faith and morals,” he said.
“Today’s decision to revise how individuals obtain services that are morally objectionable to religious entities and people of faith is a first step in the right direction,” Cardinal-designate Dolan said. “We hope to work with the Administration to guarantee that Americans’ consciences and our religious freedom are not harmed by these regulations.”
For Immediate Release: February 10, 2012
Contact: Planned Parenthood Media Office, 212-261-4433
Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on Obama
Administration Announcement on Birth Control Coverage Benefit:
“In the face of a misleading and outrageous assault on women’s health, the Obama administration has
reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring all women will have access to birth control coverage, with no
costly co-pays, no additional hurdles, and no matter where they work.
“We believe the compliance mechanism does not compromise a woman’s ability to access these critical
birth control benefits.
“However we will be vigilant in holding the administration and the institutions accountable for a
rigorous, fair and consistent implementation of the policy, which does not compromise the essential
principles of access to care.
“The individual rights and liberties of all women and all employees in accessing basic preventive health
care is our fundamental concern.
“Planned Parenthood continues to believe that those institutions who serve the broad public, employ
the broad public, and receive taxpayer dollars, should be required to follow the same rules as everyone
else, including providing birth control coverage and information.
“As a trusted health care provider to one in five women, Planned Parenthood’s priority is increasing
access to preventive health care. This birth control coverage benefit does just that.
“The birth control benefit underscores the fact that birth control is basic health care, and is fundamental
to improving women’s health and the health of their families.
“That’s why women have consistently applauded the Obama administration for one of the greatest
expansions for women’s health in decades.
“Unfortunately there are significant and immediate threats to women’s health and access to birth
control in the House and Senate that would completely take away access to birth control and severely
undermine women’s health.
“One bill, the Rubio-Manchin bill, would allow any business or corporation, on the basis of personal
religious belief or moral conviction, to take away birth control coverage from their employees.
“Employers should not be allowed to impose their personal beliefs on employees regarding birth control
coverage or basic health care. “Another bill, sponsored by Senator Blunt (R-MO), would d
WASHINGTON, DC (February 10, 2012) – The following statement is being released by Sr. Carol
Keehan, DC, president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United
States (CHA):
The Catholic Health Association is very pleased with the White House announcement that
a resolution has been reached that protects the religious liberty and conscience rights of
Catholic institutions. The framework developed has responded to the issues we identified
that needed to be fixed.
We are pleased and grateful that the religious liberty and conscience protection needs of
so many ministries that serve our country were appreciated enough that an early
resolution of this issue was accomplished. The unity of Catholic organizations in
addressing this concern was a sign of its importance.
This difference has at times been uncomfortable but it has helped our country sort
through an issue that has been important throughout the history of our great democracy.
The Catholic Health Association remains committed to working with the Administration
and others to fully implement the Accountable Care Act to extend comprehensive and
quality health care to many who suffer today from the lack of it.
