No Choice

Two weeks ago, our health insurance provider informed our family of some “enhanced benefits” under our plan. They explained: “Under the Affordable Care Act [Obamacare], your policy will now include coverage for the preventive care services described in the enclosed document at 100%. You will not have to pay a copayment, coinsurance or deductable for these services.” They had my attention. What new benefits did my family just receive? My enthusiasm waned when I saw that the enclosed document was entitled “Women’s Preventive Health Care.” I knew what those buzz-words meant. Here are some of the “goodies” listed my wife and daughter can receive as of August 1: free contraceptive pills, free Plan B pills (an abortifacient), and free STD/HIV counseling. Nothing comes free, however. Our policy will surely go up (again) when it is up for renewal the first of the year.

Why does all this bother me? First, my wife and daughter don’t need any of these “enhanced benefits” but we will be paying for them anyway. Second, I don’t want to pay for others’ contraception (go buy your own) nor do I want to pay for someone to counsel a sexually active girl/woman about STDs and HIV. We all know what kind of counsel they will receive; certainly what kind of counsel they won’t receive: wait until marriage. Third, and most importantly, I don’t want to pay for someone else’s abortion-inducing drugs—which is the result of Plan B pills. They prevent embryos from being implanted or, if already implanted, to die from lack of nutrition.

So for financial, moral, and religious grounds I object. Maybe I should go look for another health care provider? Maybe I would like your company and policy better? I am sorry to inform you, but if you have health insurance you received the same letter. All health care providers and all policies had to comply with “Obamacare’s” notion of women’s preventative health care beginning August 1.

Those behind the mandate treat pregnancy like an illness and babies as throw-a-ways. Those who hold such warped thinking aren’t satisfied to hold it themselves; they demand it from all. They want to be known as pro-choice but they don’t want there to be any.

I’m not going to be a willing accomplice, however. Elections matter. November 6 can’t come soon enough.

[For those who wish to read more on this subject, click here to go to FAQ about Obamacare at The Gospel Coalition.]