Policymakers often treat reproductive health care differently from other forms of health care, but ask any young woman, and she will tell you that gynecological care is a fundamental part of her health care. This year’s debate in Washington around contraception has at times missed the most important issue: When we talk about young women’s health care, most of the time we are talking about their reproductive health care.
Yet some conservative, religiously affiliated universities and nonprofit organizations are trying to opt out of an Obama administration regulation that requires health plans to cover contraception with no cost-sharing such as co-pays and deductibles. Because women now make up the majority of students enrolled in higher education, and because women comprise the majority of staff at nonprofit institutions, it is important to look at the health needs of these women.
A new fact sheet from Jessica Arons, Lucy Panza, and Lindsay Rosenthal presents some important information about the health care services that these women need and use.
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