Transmissions: More than birth control
Published 03/08/2012
by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=67508In yet another attempt to derail health care, mainly aimed at the Obama administration's rules for birth control coverage, Missouri Senator Roy Blunt (R) proposed an amendment to a federal highway and highway safety construction bill, S.1813. The amendment had very little to do with highways and a lot do to with playing politics.
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Now it's important to note that while the bill was indeed aimed squarely at birth control coverage, the language did not stop there. The bill would have allowed any employer, based purely on their own "moral stance," to disallow any specific coverage. It becomes a much bigger issue than just the intended issue of birth control, and veers into the care of all people. More specifically, it could affect those who might refuse to treat some one because they are gay or lesbian, citing a "moral distaste" for homosexuality. And more likely in the eyes of this columnist, it would allow transgender people to be discriminated against in health care circles, based on a care provider's moral views.
Consider that many transgender's people are prescribed hormones and other medications related to a gender transition. Many may also be on medications that, while not directly related to being transgender, may aid their quality of life – say an anti-depressant, or a medication for restoring lost hair. Those who may have recently had surgeries could have prescriptions for painkillers or other medications. Under the Blunt Amendment, coverage for these could potentially have been disallowed.