Far-Reaching Prevention First Act Could Revolutionize Women's Health Care

by Brittany Shoot · 2010-11-09 12:05:00 UTC
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Women's health care costs a lot across the board, but what always costs more are the necessary steps that have to be taken when something has gone awry. Unplanned pregnancies, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and infections, and emergency contraception all cost more than any of the alternatives: planned pregnancies, safer sex, and reliable contraceptives. When you look at federal funding spent on solving problems rather than offering prevention, it quickly becomes apparent that our tax dollars aren't being spent in the most efficient ways possible. More importantly, women's health care isn't supported in the ways most necessary for our well-being.

The Prevention First Act is built on a simple idea more commonly associated with women's health care in the Global South: Spend a little up front on contraceptives and sex education to prevent spending more down the line for abortion services and subsidized childcare. Domestic examples are easy to find, and here's a great one: For every dollar spent on family planning services, an estimated three dollars of pregnancy-related and newborn care Medicare expenditures is saved. This isn't just about women's health. This is a basic public health concern.

The Prevention First Act will truly accomplish bipartisan goals by increasing access to services through the national family planning program (Title X). By passing this omnibus package of eight health care-related funding bills, covering everything from emergency contraception to teen pregnancy education, our federal programs will be more fully equipped to support planned pregnancies, eliminating the need for some abortions. It would provide emergency contraception to more sexual assault survivors. It would even support state-specific sex education programs to more effectively teach young people how to have safer, better sex and make better choices about sexual health and contraception.

There's nothing political about safe, affordable health care. Ask your representatives to pass this comprehensive, much-needed bill.

Photo Credit: leoncillo sabino

Brittany Shoot is a freelance writer, editor and critic. She's one of the editors of the Feminist Review blog and a frequent contributor to a variety of progressive publications.
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