Get rid of Viagra coverage

[Nancy Waterman]

This is a great rant from Digby that snidely points to the anti-female flavor of much health coverage:

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/immoderate-proposal-by-digby-i-have.html

I have a moral objection to paying for any kind of erectile dysfunction medicine in the new health reform bill and I think men who want to use it should just pay for it out of pocket. After all, I won't ever need such a pill. And anyway, it's no biggie. Just because most of them can get it under their insurance today doesn't mean they shouldn't have it stripped from their coverage in the future because of my moral objections. (I don't think there's even been a Supreme Court ruling making wood a constitutional right. I might be wrong about that.)

Many of the men who are prescribed this medication are on Medicare, so I think it should be stripped out of that coverage as well. And unlike the payments for abortion, which actually lower overall medical costs (pregnancy obviously costs much, much more) banning tax dollars from covering any kind of Viagra would result in a substantial savings...

[Berry Cool]

1. Besides, if it weren't for erect penises, there would be no unwanted pregnancies and no abortions.

Erections have consequences.

[Kolesar]

2. Ha!

I didn't see that one coming!!

[PatSeg]

9. My first laugh of the day!

And most probably the best!!!

[Garam_Masala]

12. I think you may be wrong...

A soft penis dribbling fluids in contact with vaginal area has
the potential of creating pregnancy. Those sperm critters are pretty
good swimmers }(

[boppers]

22. A Diagram:

<----- the joke -----<

o
\|/
| <---- you
/ \

[Thothmes]

16. And a very short future for the human race.

[boppers]

20. Ouch.

That was a hard one to deal with.

Practically shot over my head.

(Okay, stopping now...)

[dionysus]

3. i like that.

:thumbsup:

[Lerkfish]

4. as a 51 year old male, I concur

I"ve never needed it, but even if I did, I would consider it right to have to pay for it myself

[Cha]

13. I know, what the heck!

The inclusion is a little surreal and on what grounds?

[ensho]

5. I agree - its a recreational drug

nt

[Lerkfish]

6. a recreational procreational drug

heh

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. Dumb -- two wrongs don't make a right

[Lerkfish]

10. I disagree. not having access to viagra is not potentially life threatening

so I don't consider them in the same category at all.

[quantass]

8. Well duh...Men are more valuable than women (the world knows that)

I am in 100% agreement with your stance. I dont need viagara but if i ever did i think it is just wrong to have it covered when more realistically important issues like abortion coverage is not. It clearly says to me that mens sexual drive is more important to maintain than the existence of women. Shame on those (clearly men) who have done this. I may not be a woman but it is quite infuriating that injustice still reins.

[Greyskye]

11. Should non-senior citizens with medical conditions which cause ED lose coverage too?

:shrug:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erectile_disfunction
* Neurogenic Disorders (spinal cord and brain injuries, nerve disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke.<4>)
* Hormonal Disorders (pituitary gland tumor; low or abnormally high levels of the hormone testosterone).
* Arterial Disorders (peripheral vascular disease, hypertension; reduced blood flow to the penis).
* Cavernosal Disorders (Peyronie's disease.<5>)
* Psychological causes: stress, mental disorders (clinical depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, personality disorders or traits.<6>), psychological problems, negative feelings.<7>
* Surgery (radiation therapy, surgery of the colon, prostate, bladder, or rectum may damage the nerves and blood vessels involved in erection. Prostate and bladder cancer surgery often require removing tissue and nerves surrounding a tumor, which increases the risk for impotence.<8>)
* Ageing.
* Lifestyle: alcohol and drugs, obesity, cigarette smoking (Incidence of impotence is approximately 85 percent higher in male smokers compared to non-smokers<9>., Smoking is a key cause of erectile dysfunction.<10><11> Smoking causes impotence because it promotes arterial narrowing.<12> See also Tobacco and health. )
* Overtraining

* Other disorders.


A few causes of impotence may be iatrogenic (medically caused). Various antihypertensives (medications intended to control high blood pressure) and some drugs that modify central nervous system response may inhibit erection by denying blood supply or by altering nerve activity.

Surgical intervention for a number of different conditions may remove anatomical structures necessary to erection, damage nerves, or impair blood supply. Complete removal of the prostate gland or external beam radiotherapy of the gland are common causes of impotence; both are treatments for prostate cancer. Some studies have shown that male circumcision may result in an increased risk of impotence,<13><14> while others have found no such effect,<15><16><17> and another found the opposite.<18>

Excessive alcohol use has long been recognised as one cause of impotence, leading to the euphemism "brewer's droop," or "whiskey dick;" Shakespeare made light of this phenomenon in Macbeth.

A study in 2002 found that ED can also be associated with bicycling. The number of hours on a bike and/or the pressure on the penis from the saddle of an upright bicycle is directly related to erectile dysfunction.<19>

[Snarkoleptic]

14. I was stunned by BCBS paid just $1,800 toward the $6,000 bill for my child's hearing aids.

It just makes no sense that a need like hearing is covered to a lesser extent than someones desire for a stiffy.

[Kaleva]

15. This would tick off alot of women.

[Starry Messenger]

19. Why?

Their husbands can just buy erection riders.

[boppers]

23. ZING!

This thread has potential for much win.

[Egnever]

17. I am not sure what the real point of this argument is

Cause it sure as heck and threatening. I doubt any male would give a rats ass if it was removed from being covered. As a male I am not sure why its covered in the first place actually. I don't think it should be.

I sure as hell don't think it gives anyone leverage of any kind in making a case for inclusion of elective abortions. It just sounds like a petty attempt to attack males.

[MiniMe]

18. No brand names, just get rid of ED medication altogether

Especially if a man is unmarried. It should be part of the abstinence only education.

[donheld]

21. The thought of my money going to help the likes of Bob Dole get a hard-on

Not what i want to do.