Reasons for Not Living in Ohio, part xxxiiiVII
Den of the Biting Beaver: Morality clauses, EC, and broken condoms

"No, wait I'm not asking for the abortion pill. I'm asking for EC!" I say, "It's not the same thing."

"Well, we use the words interchangeably here. Sorry, we don't prescribe it". She all but races to get off the phone with me.

I start looking through the telephone book, dialing hospitals from counties all around me. It seems that nobody will prescribe it to me. None of the hospitals are willing to touch me, of the ones that will prescribe it I am asked a series of questions to 'screen' me before I come to the hospital. The results aren't good. I'm not married and wasn't raped, so there's very little they can do for me. But I can try the nurses tell me uncomfortably.

"But if I go through all this and I can't get it will I still be charged the co-pay?"

"Well....ummmm...yeah. I'm afraid so Ma'am." comes the reply.

I called every hospital in every surrounding county and none of them would prescribe me EC. Not even ONE. Of the 2 that said that they sometimes will their 'criteria' was clearly not my situation.

Next I tried Planned Parenthood. None of them were open. Not one. Every Planned Parenthood in Ohio was either closed on Saturday or would be closed before I could drive the 100 miles to them.

Oh, my sisters!! If it's this bad just trying to get a prescription for Emergency Contraception "Plan B" (which simply does what a birth control pill does after the fact -- raises hormone levels so pregnancy can not occur, hence no decisions as to whether to terminate it), imagine what it must be like if you did need an abortion.

Emergency Contraception will be available over-the-counter in January (but still behind the pharmacy wall -- ladies, find out the location of your nearest 24-hour pharmacy NOW). So keep those legs shut tight for another few months, if you're in a vulnerable situation.

Or work to make your state blue.

One of the best things our Governor Rod did was force all pharamcists in the state to fill all prescriptions, regardless of whether they personally think viagra or EC is a Good Thing.

Unsure whether doctors are allowed to selectively write prescriptions here, however -- like deciding that only a filthy whore would want birth control pills if she were unmarried.

(I remember back a hundred years ago having to hitch hike to the doctor the cheerleaders relied on to get birth control. But hadn't thought it all thru, didn't have a check book or cash to pay for the doctor on the spot, so they sent a bill c/o a friend's address, which was intercepted by the helpful lady at the post office who said, "Why, that isn't Fresh Paint's real address -- I better send it to the right one." So my mother found out after all.)

Blagojovich is up for reelection this year, polling better than the hideous Topinka, thank god.

But Illinois folks, you have to get out and vote anyway. Because It Could Happen Here.

P.S. -- this tale via Feministing, a blog I probably don't visit enough.
- posted by Cynthia @ 3:23 PM | | | Link |