After re-reading the article from the OP and reviewing the PPAC, I find the commentary from the article to be very misleading.
From the article:
"The request for the study actually came out of the health care legislation and I am pleased that the secretary has indicated that the department will implement it quickly," said Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif.
The "study" Rep. Capps refers to is section 2953 from PPAC, "Personal Responsibility Education". It provides details of a 3-year grant program offered to the states who would then distribute funds to "local organization or entities to carry out personal responsibility education programs...designed to educate adolescents on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.
The program replicates evidence-based effective programs or substantially incorporates elements of effective programs that have been proven on the basis of rigorous scientific research to change behavior, which means delaying sexual activity, increasing condom or contraceptive use for sexually active youth, or reducing pregnancy among youth."
A word search of the PPAC using specific words commonly linked to birth control terminalogy yielded the following results:
birth control - 0 results
(birth control) pill - 0 results
condom - 1 result
contraceptive - 1 result
contraception - 4 results
More from the article:
“If accepted these recommendations would mean that virtually all private employers, private companies, organizations, such as the USCCB, would be required by law to cover in their insurance to employees, these problematic procedures, drugs and devices,” said USCCB spokeswoman Deirdre McQuade.
Search result using the word "insurance" (in section 2953 only) - 0 results
Furthermore, from the article:
“More than half of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended. Forty percent of those end in abortion,” said Dr. Cathleen London, a physician and professor at Weill-Cornell Medical College. “So if we want to talk about reducing teenage pregnancy, reducing abortion, contraception and making it easily available without the ridiculously high co-pays that insurance companies are charging, (it [...distributing contraceptives via insurance companies]) is the way to go.”
Considering that there's been so much opposition by the GOP to defund such national organizations like Planned Parenthood, it would makes sense to use insurance companies to administer free birth control to our youth to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Of course, we as parents can be the best source for prevention. But you know kids...head strong...until they recognize their mistake(s). Believe me...I know this first hand as a parent of five children. Thank God only one had a child out of wedlock. But I'm happy to announce she married a few years later to a very decent man and is very happy with their expanded family, four wonderful grandbabies in all. None of my other young-adult children have kids; all are responsible where sex and contraceptive use are concerned. I'm proud to say I've taught them well in that regard.
Sidenote: It must be re-emphasized, the recommendation to distribute free contraceptives through health insurance is NOT in the PPAC nor did it originate with the federal government (Obama Administration). It came from the Institute of Medicine, and there's no guarantee that insurance companies will adopt such a measure. Please, try to keep that in mind throughout the course of this debate topic.
