Wal-Mart Discriminates Against Women By Denying Insurance Coverage For Birth Control

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Feminists Celebrate Judge's Ruling to Grant Class-Action Status to Wal-Mart Discrimination Suit
  • Wal-Mart, which employs more than 1 million people, 80 percent of whom are women, reportedly saves about $5 million a month by denying prescription contraceptive coverage to its female employees.
What's my take on these women's position?
    • rolleye.gif
I hope the court feels the same way!
 

AU Tiger

Diamond Member
Dec 26, 1999
4,280
0
76
Someone needs to tell these women that Insurance is a benefit, not a right.
rolleye.gif


If they don't like the benefits that the company offers, find another job.
 

Fausto

Elite Member
Nov 29, 2000
26,521
2
0
*sigh* Another day....another flamebait thread with a badly-worded poll compliments of Ornery.
rolleye.gif


Don't you have better things to do?
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,267
126
Most insurances do not cover OC's. Can't figure out the rational for the suit, since this is HEALTH insurance, and rarely does a woman need them for her health. Likewise, Viagra is not covered most times.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
"Contraception is a fundamental part of women's preventive health care and there's absolutely no reason for Wal-Mart not to recognize this fact and treat women fairly when it comes to prescription coverage," said NOW Action Vice-President Olga Vives. "The nation's largest corporation should be a model workplace, not the worst of bad examples."
Same could be applied to men and that operation for snoring or something equally stupid. I wonder if walmart will allow coverage of condoms bought for men? And what if a boyfriend/girlfriend work at walmart together? Would that be insurance fraud them trying to get the free pills and condoms? It's only discrimination if something is being given specifically to men and not to women.
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Why should they pay for it when there's a very simple, 100% effective way that's absolutely free?

The ability to screw without consequence is not a health necessity.

Viper GTS
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: Skoorb
"Contraception is a fundamental part of women's preventive health care and there's absolutely no reason for Wal-Mart not to recognize this fact and treat women fairly when it comes to prescription coverage," said NOW Action Vice-President Olga Vives. "The nation's largest corporation should be a model workplace, not the worst of bad examples."
Same could be applied to men and that operation for snoring or something equally stupid. I wonder if walmart will allow coverage of condoms bought for men? And what if a boyfriend/girlfriend work at walmart together? Would that be insurance fraud them trying to get the free pills and condoms? It's only discrimination if something is being given specifically to men and not to women.

The "operation for snoring" sounds like surgery for sleep apnea, which is a very serious condition.

But if they get birth control I want condoms. Send me a check every month for the amount their birth control costs, & I'll buy condoms with it.

Viper GTS
 

Chadder007

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
7,560
0
0
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Why should they pay for it when there's a very simple, 100% effective way that's absolutely free?

The ability to screw without consequence is not a health necessity.

Viper GTS

Exactly....well said. :D
They might as well be asking Walmart to pay for Condoms so they can have "safe" sex when they want. This is rediculous.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Skoorb
"Contraception is a fundamental part of women's preventive health care and there's absolutely no reason for Wal-Mart not to recognize this fact and treat women fairly when it comes to prescription coverage," said NOW Action Vice-President Olga Vives. "The nation's largest corporation should be a model workplace, not the worst of bad examples."
Same could be applied to men and that operation for snoring or something equally stupid. I wonder if walmart will allow coverage of condoms bought for men? And what if a boyfriend/girlfriend work at walmart together? Would that be insurance fraud them trying to get the free pills and condoms? It's only discrimination if something is being given specifically to men and not to women.

The "operation for snoring" sounds like surgery for sleep apnea, which is a very serious condition.

But if they get birth control I want condoms. Send me a check every month for the amount their birth control costs, & I'll buy condoms with it.

Viper GTS
Well sometimes people can get it just for the snoring without having a real health problem.

God though my dad needs the apnea treatment. He snores like a fool and chokes half to death as he sleeps!

 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Skoorb
"Contraception is a fundamental part of women's preventive health care and there's absolutely no reason for Wal-Mart not to recognize this fact and treat women fairly when it comes to prescription coverage," said NOW Action Vice-President Olga Vives. "The nation's largest corporation should be a model workplace, not the worst of bad examples."
Same could be applied to men and that operation for snoring or something equally stupid. I wonder if walmart will allow coverage of condoms bought for men? And what if a boyfriend/girlfriend work at walmart together? Would that be insurance fraud them trying to get the free pills and condoms? It's only discrimination if something is being given specifically to men and not to women.

The "operation for snoring" sounds like surgery for sleep apnea, which is a very serious condition.

But if they get birth control I want condoms. Send me a check every month for the amount their birth control costs, & I'll buy condoms with it.

Viper GTS
Well sometimes people can get it just for the snoring without having a real health problem.

God though my dad needs the apnea treatment. He snores like a fool and chokes half to death as he sleeps!

Does he stop breathing as well? My dad stopped breathing 100+ times during the night when he was tested, sometimes for over a minute. He opted for a CPAP machine over surgery (non-invasive, quite effective), & sleeps MUCH better now.

Viper GTS
 

SSP

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
17,727
0
0
Argh, add one to #2, I picked #1 by an accedent. Untill men get free condoms, screw birth control.
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Well sh1T. I really hate things like this. When I start getting free condoms then they can have their stuff as well.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Does he stop breathing as well? My dad stopped breathing 100+ times during the night when he was tested, sometimes for over a minute. He opted for a CPAP machine over surgery (non-invasive, quite effective), & sleeps MUCH better now.

Viper GTS
Yeah he does. It's very bad, but I don't know if he's saught treatment. He's a doctor but doctors seem to leave that stuff even longer than regular people :eek:
 

Fausto

Elite Member
Nov 29, 2000
26,521
2
0
You guys who are crying foul on this are forgetting one important fact. Most of the responsibility and thereby out-of-pocket-cost (approx 70% more than for men) for contraception is shouldered by women. There are only two choices for men: condoms and vasectomy and since most of you guys have misplaced homophobic "issues" with vasectomy there's really only one choice....and an extremely cheap one at that relative to female methods of contraception.

Since this means that denial of contraceptive health care coverage primarily impacts women, the plaintifs have a valid claim via Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This sums it up pretty well:

Title VII prohibits employer policies that discriminate against women intentionally or explicitly. In the hiring context, explicit sex-based discrimination can be justified only if the employer demonstrates that gender is a "bona fide occupational qualification," which requires the employer to show that "the essence of the business operation would be undermined" by hiring either women or men. 61 Title VII also prohibits employer policies that are neutral in form but discriminatory in effect. To establish a prima facie disparate impact claim, a plaintiff must show that the challenged employment practices "in fact fall more harshly on one group than another, without justification." 62

Many reasons support the claim that excluding contraceptives from otherwise comprehensive coverage for physician services and prescription drugs disproportionately impacts women. The current state of technology permits prescription contraceptives only for women. Thus, when an employer covers all prescription drugs except for contraception, the discrimination against women is explicit. However, because this characterization is based on technological limitations, treating the exclusion of coverage for prescription contraceptives as a facially neutral policy that has a discriminatory impact upon women seems more appropriate.


Bitch all you want, but it's contraception or welfare babies. Which would you rather pay for?
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
There is no legitimate reason whatsoever that women should be forced to absorb the cost of contraceptives.

Split it 50/50 if that works better. Hell, as a guy I'd be willing to pay the entire cost.

There is nothing inherent to being female that requires that they pay for birth control.

Companies should not be forced to pay for something simply because women & men can't work out a fair agreement.

Viper GTS
 

Fausto

Elite Member
Nov 29, 2000
26,521
2
0
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
There is no legitimate reason whatsoever that women should be forced to absorb the cost of contraceptives.

Split it 50/50 if that works better. Hell, as a guy I'd be willing to pay the entire cost.

Companies should not be forced to pay for something simply because women & men can't work out a fair agreement.

Viper GTS
That of course makes perfect sense, but will never, ever happen in practice. Hell, most guys don't even stick around to care for the children they father much less offer to shoulder the financial cost of contraception.

 

BDawg

Lifer
Oct 31, 2000
11,631
2
0
If they cover viagra for men (like many insurrance programs do), they should cover birth control pills.

Some of you people need to get off your sexual morality high horse. Sex isn't something to be ashamed of. If you want abstinance, force it upon yourself, not the rest of the world.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,267
126
Originally posted by: Fausto1
You guys who are crying foul on this are forgetting one important fact. Most of the responsibility and thereby out-of-pocket-cost (approx 70% more than for men) for contraception is shouldered by women. There are only two choices for men: condoms and vasectomy and since most of you guys have misplaced homophobic "issues" with vasectomy there's really only one choice....and an extremely cheap one at that relative to female methods of contraception. Since this means that denial of contraceptive health care coverage primarily impacts women, the plaintifs have a valid claim via Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This sums it up pretty well: Title VII prohibits employer policies that discriminate against women intentionally or explicitly. In the hiring context, explicit sex-based discrimination can be justified only if the employer demonstrates that gender is a "bona fide occupational qualification," which requires the employer to show that "the essence of the business operation would be undermined" by hiring either women or men. 61 Title VII also prohibits employer policies that are neutral in form but discriminatory in effect. To establish a prima facie disparate impact claim, a plaintiff must show that the challenged employment practices "in fact fall more harshly on one group than another, without justification." 62 Many reasons support the claim that excluding contraceptives from otherwise comprehensive coverage for physician services and prescription drugs disproportionately impacts women. The current state of technology permits prescription contraceptives only for women. Thus, when an employer covers all prescription drugs except for contraception, the discrimination against women is explicit. However, because this characterization is based on technological limitations, treating the exclusion of coverage for prescription contraceptives as a facially neutral policy that has a discriminatory impact upon women seems more appropriate. Bitch all you want, but it's contraception or welfare babies. Which would you rather pay for?



I have to disagree here. 100% of hysterectomies are covered for women, but not for men. Therefore, men are discriminated against. Also ALL prescriptions drugs are not covered. For example, acne medication is often excluded because it is cosmetic, not health related, except in cases of cystic acme. Now if Viagra were regularly covered, then one might make the above argument. Even so, it alleviates a medical condition. Key point here PREGNANCY IS NOT A DISEASE. You might argue that it is unwise not to cover BC's since they are going to have to cover birth in a medical setting, but claiming a RIGHT under discrimination statutes is specious.
 

ThunderGirl

Senior member
Aug 17, 2001
606
0
0
There are other reasons woman need BC pills. Some cases to regulate cycles, or to help w/ other illness. Balance Hormone Levels.

It is not always just to prevent babies.

I think it is wrong they will not cover it. Most insurance companies cover such things.

And big deal you spend $5-10 on a box of 12 condoms birth control pills, shot, patch, ect is a lot more expensive than that. Plus the fact that every so many months she has to back to the doctor to be monitored and checked. Or if there is a reaction to the medicine.

I would take being a guy and putting on a rubber any day.

yes I realize many of you may feel I am not a good person to comment on this w/ how many kids I have and close together. But my personal choices and religious beliefs have nothing to do with this.

edit: I don't agree w/ the reason for number one but I voted for it as it should be an expense that is covered.
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
Originally posted by: ThunderGirl
There are other reasons woman need BC pills. Some cases to regulate cycles, or to help w/ other illness. Balance Hormone Levels.

It is not always just to prevent babies.

I think it is wrong they will not cover it. Most insurance companies cover such things.

And big deal you spend $5-10 on a box of 12 condoms birth control pills, shot, patch, ect is a lot more expensive than that. Plus the fact that every so many months she has to back to the doctor to be monitored and checked. Or if there is a reaction to the medicine.

I would take being a guy and putting on a rubber any day.

yes I realize many of you may feel I am not a good person to comment on this w/ how many kids I have and close together. But my personal choices and religious beliefs have nothing to do with this.

edit: I don't agree w/ the reason for number one but I voted for it as it should be an expense that is covered.

what she said.

it shouldn't be covered as a contraceptive... it should only be covered if there are other reasons.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
I think walmart SHOULD pay for birth control. I don't, however, think they should be FORCED to pay for birth control if they don't want to.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,344
126
100% of hysterectomies are covered for women

Can't say I know of any women that choose to have a hysterectomy simply for birthcontrol. Most of the situations I've seen it is - do this or die.

As for the the birth control issue. Which would you rather pay for if you were an insurance agency, $30 a month for the pill, or a $10,000 delivery + all asscociated prenatal visits?