OT: Women's Healthcare Changes, US, Aug 1, 2012

[Valerie]

As this article lays out, Obamacare is doing a lot for the ladies starting today. Which is awesome, don't get me wrong. But there are a couple of things on here I'm wondering about, and maybe some of you know more about it than me?

I'm curious about why some of these are strictly for women. Domestic violence counseling? I suppose more women are subject to domestic violence, at least from what information we have, but why not offer this to the men, too? Same with the STI/HIV screenings and counseling, which, if I remember correctly, men are more vulnerable to. The only reason I can think of is because women still make less, so they would need it more, in general? But then why not make it an income-based thing instead of gender-based?

I mean, I am super-psyched that we're getting to this point, but it feels unfair if the men are being left out on those things. These are big steps in the right direction, but I don't know how comfortable I am leaving half the population in the dust, if there isn't something similar happening for the men.

Disclaimer before this gets ugly: I realize that women have a harder time than men in many areas. I realize that we might need this boost a little more for that reason. Still... It gives me the same "what is this" feeling that I had when I first learned that black men got the right to vote before women of any race, even though both groups were fighting for it at the same time.

TL;DR: I am suffering some mild version of survivor's guilt.

[Freemage]

My Google-fu remains strong.

Of the items you mention, the HIV screening is for everyone, the STI testing and counseling is for "all sexually active women" and "all adults at risk". Het men are, honestly, fairly low on the risk charts--gay men and straight women are at the highest risk. (Gay women have the lowest risk factor of all, leading to the inescapable conclusion, using a certain infamous school of logic, that God approves of lesbians.) Making sure the at-risk population gets covered first is probably not a bad way to go.

The domestic violence counseling does seem to be women-specific, and I hope that gets addressed, fast. I suspect it's mostly an oversight resulting from the continued view that men, if they ARE in an abusive situation can easily leave. It's of course usually NOT that easy, and I'd like to see the law reflect that.

Ooooh! Yes! They covered HPV vaccinations for children! *Pumps fist*

[Valerie]

Thanks, Freemage. <3 I'm glad to hear it's apparently broader than I thought, but there are still some imperfections there. Baby steps, I guess.

[Artemisia]

I got a letter about some of this from my health insurance company. . .they wanted to remind me that I can get a screening for breast and cervical cancer as well as chlamydia. I am not eligible for the free screenings through my health insurance for breast cancer or chlamydia, but I am for cervical cancer...which would be nice if I had a cervix.

But glad that they told me.

[Valerie]

I got a letter about some of this from my health insurance company. . .they wanted to remind me that I can get a screening for breast and cervical cancer as well as chlamydia. I am not eligible for the free screenings through my health insurance for breast cancer or chlamydia, but I am for cervical cancer...which would be nice if I had a cervix.

But glad that they told me.

I'm... confused about how you are eligible for body parts you don't have, but ineligible for body parts that you do have.

[Captain LeBubbles]

I got a letter about some of this from my health insurance company. . .they wanted to remind me that I can get a screening for breast and cervical cancer as well as chlamydia. I am not eligible for the free screenings through my health insurance for breast cancer or chlamydia, but I am for cervical cancer...which would be nice if I had a cervix.

But glad that they told me.

I'm... confused about how you are eligible for body parts you don't have, but ineligible for body parts that you do have.

Easy- because they can act like they're being proactive, but don't have to pay a cent.

[Artemisia]

Well, mostly age cut offs. . .though the STD I would say I am pretty sure I don't have. I also have a feeling they don't know I was born male.

[Valerie]

They don't know your physical sex? Is that something you should call and have corrected?

[Artemisia]

Almost all of my documentation reads 'female' now. The last thing I need to do is change my birth certificate. I am going to let them know, though. Legally, though, I stopped being male...oh wow...three years ago now.

[Valerie]

Almost all of my documentation reads 'female' now. The last thing I need to do is change my birth certificate. I am going to let them know, though. Legally, though, I stopped being male...oh wow...three years ago now.

Okay, it just seems odd that your health insurance would have you listed as female if you are not yet physically female. I guess you had to do it that way to make everything match up, though. Otherwise they'd be all, "But this social security number belongs to a WOMAN! The paperwork here says that this person is MALE! FRAUD OMG" Or whatever.

[Mr. Brightside]

...for a couple reasons about which I know a bit but am not really the one to ask, "physically female yet?" is not a good way to look at it.

[Artemisia]

Almost all of my documentation reads 'female' now. The last thing I need to do is change my birth certificate. I am going to let them know, though. Legally, though, I stopped being male...oh wow...three years ago now.

Okay, it just seems odd that your health insurance would have you listed as female if you are not yet physically female. I guess you had to do it that way to make everything match up, though. Otherwise they'd be all, "But this social security number belongs to a WOMAN! The paperwork here says that this person is MALE! FRAUD OMG" Or whatever.

Yeah. I would get into a lot of electoral trouble in Florida right now.

...for a couple reasons about which I know a bit but am not really the one to ask, "physically female yet?" is not a good way to look at it.

I'm not offended. It's kind of hard to work through this given our binary language.

[Valerie]

Almost all of my documentation reads 'female' now. The last thing I need to do is change my birth certificate. I am going to let them know, though. Legally, though, I stopped being male...oh wow...three years ago now.

Okay, it just seems odd that your health insurance would have you listed as female if you are not yet physically female. I guess you had to do it that way to make everything match up, though. Otherwise they'd be all, "But this social security number belongs to a WOMAN! The paperwork here says that this person is MALE! FRAUD OMG" Or whatever.

Yeah. I would get into a lot of electoral trouble in Florida right now.

...for a couple reasons about which I know a bit but am not really the one to ask, "physically female yet?" is not a good way to look at it.

I'm not offended. It's kind of hard to work through this given our binary language.

He's right, though. I'm sorry. I'm still not very refined when it comes to trans issues. >_O I'm trying.

[Artemisia]

Which is why I wasn't offended, Val

[Freemage]

Almost all of my documentation reads 'female' now. The last thing I need to do is change my birth certificate. I am going to let them know, though. Legally, though, I stopped being male...oh wow...three years ago now.

Okay, it just seems odd that your health insurance would have you listed as female if you are not yet physically female. I guess you had to do it that way to make everything match up, though. Otherwise they'd be all, "But this social security number belongs to a WOMAN! The paperwork here says that this person is MALE! FRAUD OMG" Or whatever.

One of the issues is that some trans* do not actually ever have SRS--they may be too broke, or have medical conditions that prohibit it, or may just not care about the actual physicality as much as the identity, and find hormones provide a sufficient degree of 'shift' for them to be comfortable with their own bodies. It would be wrong for these folks to be stuck as 'legally' their birth-assigned gender. The law has been (slowly) coming around to the idea that the self-identification is what actually matters, not the fiddlybits.