For women and minorities, health care equity includes access to birth control

By Carmen Green, M.D.

Women, African-Americans and Hispanics want insurance-paid access to birth control. This is one of the findings of a study by three of my colleagues here at the University of Michigan released in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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This is a big deal. The national poll revealed that nearly 70 percent of adults responding believe that insurance companies should be required to pay for birth control. Support is highest among Blacks (81%), women (77%) and Hispanics (72%).

This is interesting for all of us: just as the provision of the Affordable Care Act requiring insurance companies to pay for birth control is being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court, most Americans seem to be saying “wait a minute – we want our health insurance to pay for birth control.”

Remember when a few strident Congressional leaders tried to minimize Georgetown Law Student Sandra Fluke for her stand on contraceptive coverage during House hearings in 2012? Maybe Ms. Fluke was voicing a majority opinion after all.

As a physician who works to end disparities in health care that are based solely on differences that should not matter – such as race, ethnicity, income, age or where you live – these poll findings are encouraging.

It suggests to me that if a majority of Americans want fairness in health care insurance coverage, they may also be ready to demand equity in how health care service is delivered.

In other words, can we eliminate disparities in how people are cared for, and help medical providers learn to recognize the role that bias, stereotyping and assumptions play in creating inequitable health care in this country?

In Dr. Moniz’ commentary about the survey findings, she points out that about half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended and that cost of contraception can be a factor. She writes that many of her patients cannot afford the birth control method that will be safest and most effective for her.

Talk Health Equity: What do you think?
We in the University of Michigan Health System Office for Health Equity and Inclusion want to hear your views on inequality in health care – or on differences in treatment based on who you are: your gender, race, ethnicity, income, birthplace, age, place of birth and other “differences” that should not matter. You can share your thoughts by joining our Healthy 
Conversation: Talk Health Care Equity Campaign by visiting www.healthyconversation.org.

You can share your thoughts easily by participating in our Healthy Conversation: Talk Health Care Equity. Go to this website and share your thoughts on health care equity in 8 words. The data you share with us will be used to help medical providers change practices, systems and behaviors that can appear to be unfair, discriminatory – or that simply are not effective because the provider is unable to relate to patients from unfamiliar backgrounds.

What’s on your mind? Share your views with us.
-Visit www.healthyconversation.org to submit your 8 words on health care equity, and to get more details.
Help expand the conversation
-Like us on Facebook at Office for Health Equity and Inclusion and follow us on Twitter @UM_OHEI.
-Use #TalkHealthEquity in your conversations on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

Thank you for speaking up. You will be part of a University of Michigan effort to eliminate differences in health care delivery that are based on factors that should not matter: race, orientation, place of birth, income, age, ethnicity or nationality, or where you live. We will use what we learn to improve health care policy, teaching, and training of doctors, nurses and other health care providers so that we can all provide the best possible care for all people.

The new U-M Northville Health Center is an example of the University of Michigan Health System striving to serve communities beyond our Ann Arbor area. Learn more at uofmhealth.org/Northville.