Contraception Misdirection

Who would’ve thought that contraception would become a political lightning rod this election cycle? Rick Santorum and Rush Limbaugh strolled right into traps laid by allies of the Obama Administration, and unwittingly helped the President redirect the real argument about religious liberty (one that the Administration was losing) into a straw man argument about women’s health. Well-strategized by the left; misplayed by the right. For what it’s worth, here’s my take on what should be the conservative argument on the subject:

Conservatives are not objecting to the use of contraception, but rather the coverage stipulated for it in Obamacare, especially as it concerns religious organizations. The primary issue is one of religious liberty. If a religious organization conscientiously objects to certain services then what right does the government (or anyone) have to force them to pay for them? How would the reaction be if the government were forcing all employers to provide free pork chop dinners? Would mosques and Islamic organizations be wrong for objecting? Would Jewish organizations not be justified in objecting to a mandate to require employees to work on Saturdays? 

No-one is trying to deny access to contraceptives for employees of Catholic-run organizations, only to their coverage by employer-subsidized health insurance. Let the market work. If a Catholic-run hospital doesn't want to cover contraceptive services as part of the health insurance policies they provide for their employees, they have the right to make that choice. If the issue is so important to workers, then other hospitals not affiliated with Catholic organizations would have a competitive advantage in attracting employees.

Beyond the primary issue of religious-liberty are broader questions of proper scope of insurance and personal responsibility. Insurance provides a safety net to help deal with unforeseen events. We buy homeowners insurance hoping that we'll never need to use it, but resting assured that if disaster strikes we'll have some help to rebuild. I don't submit claims every time I buy filters for my furnace, repair my roof, or pay an exterminator to keep termites away. I can ignore these maintenance and preventive services and deal with consequences later, or I can accept these responsibilities that come with homeownership. 

Most health insurance policies have expanded well beyond catastrophic coverage, so we have become accustomed to more maintenance health services having some level of coverage, e.g. subsidizing costs of sick visits, prescriptions, etc. But where does one draw the line? If contraceptives should be free, why not toothpaste and dental floss? What next, toilet paper and soap? We don't expect anyone else to pick up the tab for these personal care items. We buy them and use them because we are responsible and want to take good care of our bodies. Why should it be any different for contraceptives?