Available, affordable birth control a comfort

I am a grandmother to three granddaughters and feel blessed. As they grow into young, healthy women, they will have better health coverage in this country than ever before. Their lifestyles, no doubt, will require the use of contraceptives whether single or married.

Beginning in August, most health insurance plans will be required to cover women's preventive services, including contraception. Contraception is used to treat or prevent many health conditions that affect women such as abnormal bleeding, ovarian cysts and pain associated with ovulation.

The Affordable Care Act reduces out-of-pocket costs to women whether they are a college student, a young married woman, a single mother or a widow. These women have many fixed expenses in their lives. It is comforting to know that my granddaughters will be protected and insured in their lifetime. Already young women under the age of 26 are now allowed to stay on their parents' health plan because of the ACA. Insurance companies are required to cover mammograms and prenatal care.

To those of you concerned about how this decision impacts religious freedom, I remind you that churches and houses of worship are exempt from having to offer insurance for contraception. No individual will be forced to buy or use contraception against their own wishes.

Thank you, President Barack Obama, for this strong and fair fight!

Rozanne Petrick

Fairfax