On January 4th, Congress swung open its doors and the fools rushed in to deal 2017's first critical blows to the Affordable Care Act. Those who stand to lose the most from repealing the law include old people, poor people, and the usual unluckiest 50 percent of the population: women. Getting rid of penalties for those without insurance and cutting funds for the expanded coverage through Medicaid (which currently helps folks living near the poverty line get health care) would be a death blow for Obamacare, which means over 20 million people are at risk for losing health insurance. Many more than that would be saddled with higher prices for prescriptions and preventative care screenings—including mammograms. And of course, there's birth control.
Women now have a few options. They can stock up on contraception and hope they've snagged enough of the morning-after pill to outlast the Trumpocalypse. In previous years (and for now, still), they could turn to Planned Parenthood, a trusted partner for women in need of birth control or consultations about their health. Sadly, the organization is once again the target of Paul Ryan's deepest, darkest fantasies, which is why the Speaker of the House has vowed to cut its federal funding as one of the first steps to dismantling Obamacare.
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