TAHLEQUAH Women across the U.S. no longer have to pay for certain health care services, including birth control, which are now covered under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Effective Aug. 1, PPACA requires most health insurance plans to cover eight preventive care measures without charging a co-payment or deductible: well-woman visits; gestational diabetes screening; domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling; FDA-approved contraceptive methods and education; breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling; HPV DNA testing for women 30 and older; and STD counseling, and HIV screening and counseling.

In May, more than 40 Catholic institutions filed 12 lawsuits in federal jurisdictions, asserting the contraception rule violated religious tenets. But according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the law allows some nonprofit religious employers to choose whether to cover contraceptive services.

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of HHS, said an additional element has been added: Nonprofit employers who, based on religious beliefs, do not currently provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plan, will be provided an additional year, until Aug. 1, 2013, to comply. Employers who want the extra time must certify they qualify for it.

According to a recent report by Bloomberg, organizations such as churches, which may not provide insurance coverage for contraception, are still exempt from the requirement, as are primary and secondary schools affiliated with religious organizations. But universities, charities, hospitals and other religiously-connected entities must comply.

Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling that PPACA is constitutional, Becky Bernhardt, assistant press secretary for Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said he believes the rule is unconstitutional. Coburn says it dangerously expands the federal governments role in health care, and takes away even more of our individual and religious freedoms.

Coburn is a physician who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology. He is also opposed to PPACA.

Forcing Americans to finance contraceptives and abortifacients is an assault on religious freedom and individual liberty, said Coburn. This mandate is also completely unnecessary, as these products are already widely available at extremely low prices at clinics across the country. This mandate has nothing to do with serving women, and everything to do with expanding governments control over health care.

Dr. Jena Rogers, M.D., who specializes in internal medicine at Tahlequah Medical Group, believes the ruling is beneficial for all women.

No matter what community you are talking about, preventive health visits for women, and for men, are beneficial, said Rogers. Technology and education in health care have improved so much over time that it is much easier and safer to get tested. The percentage of women who now have mammograms have almost doubled in the past 15 years. Screening for diabetes is also much easier and cost-effective.

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Law expands preventive care for women