amych, that's the "we-own-these-people HMO", not the big blooie.

I hit 35 weeks June 15. This means no last-minute day trips to Wilmington, even. Sigh.

From a 2004 article:

In a comprehensive study to be released tomorrow, the Alan Guttmacher Institute found that 86 percent of employer-provided health plans covered a full range of contraceptive choices in 2002, compared with 28 percent in a parallel 1993 study.

and:

Other official steps that expanded birth control coverage were the federal government's decision in 1999 to require contraceptive coverage in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and the finding in 2000 by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that failure of employers to include contraceptives in prescription drug coverage constitutes sex discrimination.

The issues created by the FDA approval of Viagra in 1998 were already beginning to be addressed at both the state and federal level in 1999. I'm not saying that contraceptive rights aren't worth fighting for, but that the Viagra argument as an example of widespread hypocrisy is a bit of a dead horse by now.

I'm boggled. Wanting out of network stuff to be only in an emergency, okay, but no coverage at all after 35 weeks is just nuts.

embarrassed, blushing, pointing at Beep Me

Today is All Beth Day!

Other official steps that expanded birth control coverage were the federal government's decision in 1999 to require contraceptive coverage in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and the finding in 2000 by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that failure of employers to include contraceptives in prescription drug coverage constitutes sex discrimination.

The issues created by the FDA approval of Viagra in 1998 were already beginning to be addressed at both the state and federal level in 1999. I'm not saying that contraceptive rights aren't worth fighting for, but that the Viagra argument as an example of widespread hypocrisy is a bit of a dead horse by now.

I feel a little like you've interpreted my post as "ALL INSURERS COVER VIAGRA AND NONE COVER BIRTH CONTROL" when all it was was a statement that my ass really burns when Viagra is covered and birth control isn't. There was nothing in it at all, even hinting at widespread hypocrisy.

What you have cited above concerns Federal Employees. I see no mention of Medicaid, which I think is what Strega provided. Medicaid is the Federal health program for people who are either low income, or meet other eligibility requirements. That said, it is administered in each state by the state (and/or by a sub-contractor of the state's choosing, often a BC/BS outfit). States have some say in administration of the program.

I don't know how coverage varies between Medicaid and insurance for Federal employees, these days, because I am too long out of the business. But back when I was working, if people on Medicaid got the coverage Federal Employees got, they'd have thought they died and went to heaven. The A/R people at the hospitals would have, too.

my ass really burns when Viagra is covered and birth control isn't.

I was questioning whether or not you've encountered this personally, because I haven't.

I've heard your statement above come up nearly every time the issue of insurance is raised at all, but I have never heard anyone say "My insurance company covers Viagra, but not birth control." So I would like to know for what states/insurance companies this is actually currently the case.

Sorry, I guess I was skimming; I didn't get that you were asking for current examples. You're absolutely right that, because of people shouting for Viagra, things were tidied things up so that contraception was covered as well. Currently, if prescription drugs are covered, birth control must be as well.

You know, most tattoo places I know are pretty clear that you shouldn't be drunk when you go to get inked. Here's a bar in England that has a tattoo shop in-house. [link]

Happy birthday to thems that have birthdays today (I got a little confused)!

From a ways back, I love the Tim Gunn blog and am cursing Kristen for her new tag (Follow-that-dream-wherever-that-dream-may-take-you, even if it's to the rejection list.) because I wanted it.

I think I'm having chocolate covered pretzels, grapes and Coke for lunch and I couldn't be happier about that.

Here's a bar in England that has a tattoo shop in-house.

I can just imagine some guy at the bar saying, "Dude. I dare ya' to get 'I am a big dork' tatooed on your forehead."