If you're in need of a talking point in the current wars over contraception, here's one to consider:
Failing to cover prescription contraception means that women are effectively paid less than their male counterparts.
Health insurance is a part of an employee's compensation package. When women are denied coverage for something that is a predictable part of their health care needs, while men's predictable health care needs are covered, there is discrimination.
That's exactly why so many states have laws requiring birth control coverage.
It's true, of course, that not all women will need prescription contraception in their health care, and some men might need it too (trans* men with uteri, for example). It's also impossible to predict exactly how any individual employee will need/use health insurance. But I'm talking about broader patterns of what coverage employees, on average, are predictably likely to need.
And in that light, it is simply undeniable that health insurance is worth less to female employees when contraception isn't covered.
Equal compensation for equal work. What a novel idea.
[This post is expanded from a comment at Liss's request.]
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