Election night I went to bed devastated for a number of reasons that I’ve already shared. But the most devastating reason? My fear of bringing a child into a world where a person like Trump can become president.
How could I bring a son or daughter into this world knowing they could face persecution if god forbid they are born female, transgender, gay or whatever America decides it’s against tomorrow? How could I bring a child into this world where they might grow up and fear for a friend’s life simply because their friend were Hispanic, black, Muslim or an immigrant? How do I combat the force of the outside world and teach my child to love when so many are teaching him or her to judge others based on the color of their skin or their religion?
But, then again, how do I not? How could I let fear control my uterus … after all, the force I am fighting already wants me to give up that control. Isn’t it my responsibility to raise kind, accepting and loving children? Yes. It. Is.
Being a few days removed from my initial emotional response, I am able to take a pragmatic approach. Only now, my fear is in the ACA being repealed and thus losing coverage for a number of crucial benefits.
Here are a handful of the coverages women and mothers will lose is the ACA is repealed:
Mammograms – under ACA mammograms are covered under insurance plans, private and through the exchange.
Birth Control – most insurance plans (excluding those grandfathered) cover birth control under ACA. If we repeal Roe v. Wade and the ACA, women’s reproductive rights will be significantly impacted.
Annual Well Woman Exams – these and other preventative care visits will no longer be 100% covered. These include Pap smears, a vital component of early detection of cancer.
Prenatal Visits and Gestational Diabetes screenings – prenatal care is crucial to healthy pregnancies and babies.
Breastfeeding Support, Supplies & Counseling – without ACA, I might not have been able to breastfeed my son as long as I have. The ACA helped me get a breast pump with little out of pocket expense. It also ensured I had access to a lactation consultant when we had issues feeding and latching.
STDs – the ACA provides women access to everything from testing/screening to counseling.
Pre-existing Conditions- the ACA prevents insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions like as asthma, cancer, diabetes, pregnancy, etc.
You know who provides a lot of the above services at an affordable cost to women? Planned Parenthood. So, when you overturn Roe v Wade, repeal ACA and defund Planned Parenthood, where do women turn?
Still wondering why we are scared of the pending attack on women?
We are more. We will do more. We are fighters. We are strong. We will stand up.