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Re: “Obamacare already funds contraception, so why should Colorado?,” Feb. 25 guest commentary.
As an obstetrician-gynecologist, I know firsthand that despite the gains made with the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion in our state, many women continue to have limited access to contraception. Many of my patients and other Colorado women are still unable to access health insurance. I also have patients who have health care coverage, but whose insurance companies impose prohibitive deductibles or coverage limitations that restrict their ability to access the birth control method that works best for them.
One of the reasons that the Colorado Family Planning Initiative was successful is that it removed a common barrier to contraception, namely the high up-front cost of long-acting, highly effective contraceptive methods such as IUDs. Contraception is an essential part of women’s health care.
House Bill 1194 would continue funding of this important family planning program, ensuring that more women in Colorado have access to the care they need.
Lisa Goldthwaite, M.D.,Denver
This letter was published in the March 2 edition.
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