Birth Control Pills - Why Theyre Free

American insurance companies are required to provide birth control pills and other forms of contraception at no cost to women under guidelines announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in August 2011. The insurance rules calling for free birth control pills take effect on Aug. 1, 2012, and expand medical coverage under the health care reform law signed by President Barack Obama, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act helps stop health problems before they start, said then Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. These historic guidelines are based on science and existing literature and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need. At the time the rules were announced 28 states required health insurance companies to pay for birth control pills and other forms of contraception. Reaction to Free Birth Control Pills The rule requiring insurers to provide birth control for women at no cost was met with praise from family-planning organizations, and criticism from the health care industry and conservative activists. Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, described the Obama administration rule as being a historic victory for womens health and women across the country. Covering birth control without co-pays is one of the most important steps we can take to prevent unintended pregnancy and keep women and children healthy, Richards said in a prepared statement. Conservative activists argued that taxpayer money should not be used to pay for contraception, and the healthcare industry said the move would force them to raise premiums and increase the cost of coverage to consumers. How Insurers Will Provide Birth Control Pills The rules give women access to all Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling. The measure does not include abortifacient drugs or emergency contraception. The coverage rules allow insurers to use reasonable medical management to help define their coverage and keep costs down. For example, they will still be allowed to charge copayments for brand-name drugs if a generic version is available and is just as effective and safe for the patient. Copayments, or copays, are paid by consumers when they purchase prescriptions or go to their doctors. Birth control pills cost as much as $50 a month under many insurance plans. Religious institutions that offer insurance to their employees have the choice of whether to cover birth control pills and other contraception services. Reason for Free Birth Control Pills The Department of Health and Human Services considers the provision of birth control pills as necessary preventive health care. Before health reform, too many Americans didnt get the preventive health care they need to stay healthy, avoid or delay the onset of disease, lead productive lives, and reduce health care costs, the agency said. Often because of cost, Americans used preventive services at about half the recommended rate. The government described family planning services as being an essential preventive service for women and critical to appropriately spacing and ensuring intended pregnancies, which results in improved maternal health and better birth outcomes. Other Preventative Measures Covered Under the rules announced in 2011, insurers are also required to provide, at no cost to consumers: well-woman visits;screening for gestational diabetes;human papillomavirus DNA testing for women 30 years and older;sexually-transmitted infection counseling;human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling;breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling;and domestic violence screening and counseling. 2018: Trump Weakens Birth Control Coverage Mandate On November 7, 2018, the Trump administration issued two final regulations allowing employers to deny women insurance coverage for birth control measures as a preventative health service. The first of the two rules issued by the Department of Health and Human Services allows exemptions to the Obamacare contraceptive coverage mandate for entities that object to such coverage based on religious beliefs. The second final rule allows coverage exemptions to nonprofit organizations and small businesses that have moral, non-religious objections to contraception. â€Å"The Departments estimate the exemptions may affect the coverage of approximately 6,400 women, and state that in no case will they impact more than 127,000 women, which the Departments suggest is far more than will actually be impacted,† said the Department in a press release. The religious and moral exemptions provided by the rules apply to institutions of education, issuers, and individuals. However, the exemption for moral beliefs does not extend to publicly traded businesses, and neither the moral nor the religious exemption apply to federal government agencies or entities, according to the Department. â€Å"These rules affect a small fraction of the 165 million women in the U.S.† Stated the Department. â€Å"The rules leave in place contraceptive coverage guidelines where no religious or moral objection exists, and they do not change the Health Resources and Services Administration’s authority to decide whether to include contraceptives in the women’s preventive services guidelines for other entities.† Issued in the form of federal regulations at the direction of a presidential executive order, rather than an act of Congress, the rules may be amended or repealed at any time by the current or future presidential administrations. Updated by Robert Longley

History of Mayan Culture - 1499 Words

History of Mayan Culture The mysterious culture of ancient Maya once covered a vast geographic area in Central and South America. Their civilization extended to parts of what are now Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador, and most of Guatemala and Belize. The Mayans first settled in 1500BC. The Mayans environment consisted of tropical rainforests, which was also one of their main sources of resources, they turned the jungles into great cities. The rainforest would provide them with food, clothing, weapons, tools, and many more useful items. It rained almost everyday, but the temperature was not cold at least in the daytime. The environment played a major role in what the Mayans culture became, they needed rain and heat to survive both the†¦show more content†¦Each large city had one supreme chief who ruled for life, upon his death a son or brother took over. In some cases wife took over. If no family successor was available a new ruler was selected from the upper class. Crime was also an issue for the Mayans. Criminals were punished in different ways according to what they had done. A thief would become the servant of his victim. Murderers were put to death, sometimes as part of ritual sacrifices. For minor crimes, hair was c ut as a sign of disrespect. There were also class separations like the ruling class and the common people. Warriors were a separate class themselves too. In battle the Mayans fought with wooden clubs, flint knives, spears, and slingshots. Weapons and tools were made from bone, parts of animals, soil, stone, metal/copper, and wood. RELIGION The Mayans were very religious people; their religion regulated almost everything in their life. Priests were the most important people in the tribes. The Mayans believed their gods had destroyed and recreated their earth several times that is why they always tried to please their gods with sacrifices. Each God represented something for them. Their Supreme Being and creator of the universe was called â€Å" Hunan Ku â€Å". The next important gods were the sun and moon gods. â€Å" Kinich Ahau â€Å" was the sun god. TheyShow MoreRelatedThe History of Zero: Indian and Mayan Cultures726 Words   |  3 PagesZero is usually recognized today as being originated in two geographically separated cultures: the Maya and Indian. If zero was a place-holder symbol, then such a zero was present in the Babylonian positional number system before the first recorded occurrence of the Indian zero. If zero was represented by an empty space within a well-defined positional number system, such a z ero was present in Chinese mathematics a few centuries before the beginning of the Common Era. 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In 1947, Yuri began to become increasingly interested with Mayan Script as his professor encouraged him to write his dissertation on â€Å"The De Landa Alphabet†, a theoretical paper written by a Spaniard. The sole purpose of this paper was to introduce the concept that Mayan Script may have come directly from the Spanish alphabet. Although Yuri did not believe that Mayan Script came from the Spanish alphabet, it was at this momentRead MoreHow Bloodletting And Human Sacrifice1235 Words   |  5 Pagesimportant in the life of the Mayans. The bloodletting allows the ruler the ability to communicate with the Gods and their ancestors. While the human sacrifice is connected to the continuation of the cosmos and the resurrection of the agricultural seasons. A summary and a discussion of the book Popol Vuh is presented, on the topic of reassurance theme of human sacrifice is addressed in this paper. The examination of how bloodletting and human sacrifice is crucial to the Mayan culture, and how these ritualsRead MoreThe Languages and Cuisine of Mexico Essays863 Words   |  4 Pagesworld there is no single official national language of Mexico. The colonizers of Mexico forced the Spanish language on the natives, but in the 1990s the government recognized 62 indigenous Amerindian languages, including Aztec, or Nahuatl, and the Mayan family of languages, as national languages. About 6 % of the population is non-Spanish speaking, and some indigenous Mexican words have become common in other languages, to include English. Examples are: chocolate, coyote, tomato and avocado all

Breaking Language Essay Example For Students

Breaking Language Essay Language is one of the most important features when it comes to the media, or to analyzing life in general. Besides painting, there is no other written way of expressing ones belief or point of view on a certain subject. After a brief introduction on British press I shall speak throughout the essay about the two approaches on the same subject of a broadsheet and of a tabloid. The articles are taken from The Guardian and the Daily Mirror and tackle the issue of child of 14 who commits suicide while in custody. To start with, it should be noted that Britains first newspapers appeared over 300 years ago. Now, as then, newspapers receive no government subsidy, unlike in some other European countries today. Hence, the survival of newspapers is very much dependent on advertising, which constitutes a vital source of income. Surprisingly enough, this small island boasts approximately 130 daily and Sunday papers, 1,400 weekly papers and over 6,500 periodical publications. More newspapers, proportionately, are sold in Britain than in almost any other country. According to David McDowall national newspapers have a circulation of about 13 million on weekdays and 17 million on Sundays, but the readership is twice this figure. The national newspapers, both on weekdays and on Sundays, fall into two broad categories: the popular (also called in a derogatory way: gutter) and quality press. All the popular papers, with the exception of the Sunday Express, are tabloid in format. The tabloids are essentially mass entertainment, as evidenced by the fact that they are smaller than the other papers, have larger illustrations, bold captions and a sensational prose style (as we shall see later on). This leads to an emphasis on gossip, emotion and scandal, and a significant reduction in the news content. By contrast, quality newspapers, known as broadsheets on account of their larger format, emphasise news coverage, political and economic analysis and social and cultural issues.1 Both the quality and the popular press present breaking news, human interest stories, comments and features specific to this type of media. Again, the content has different social functions, which are also associated with different patterns of textual organisation. Editorials tend to be organised more on the basis of a continuous structure, with stages which all contribute to the overall effectiveness of the text. But generically speaking, they are different in style. Style is the textual result of choices between alternative ways of saying more or less the same thing by using different words or a different syntactic structure. Such stylistic choices also have clear social and ideological implications, because they often signal the opinions of the reporter about news actors and news events as well as properties of the social and communicative situation (their use in a tabloid) and the group memberships of the speakers, for instance that a specific journalist is white, male, or middle-class. Thus, the use of mob and rentamob, instead of crowd and demonstrators, may be interpreted as signaling the ideological position of the reporter about left-wing demonstrators, while at the same time discrediting them for the readers. The same is true of the use of howling, screaming, and fury, instead of vigorously protesting. Besides expressing negative attitudes and manufacturing the consent of the readers (Herman and Chomsky, 1988), the use of such words also shows a cultural dimension of news language: the everyday, popular style of tabloids.2 Drawing on the distinction that Systemic-Functional grammar makes between spoken and written language, and between informal and formal language, it may be claimed that broadsheets have many features in common with formal and written language, whereas tabloids present a highly spoken and informal style. In order to illustrate such assertion, firstly I will focus on the linguistic implications of mode (spoken language: tabloids vs. written language: broadsheets), and then I will turn to the linguistic consequences of tenor (informal language: tabloids vs. formal language: broadsheets) The examples illustrating each of the linguistic features considered have been drawn from the news reports analyzed in the following section.3 .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d , .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .postImageUrl , .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d , .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d:hover , .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d:visited , .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d:active { border:0!important; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d:active , .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1409e0f042f61a20575fbff168cdec0d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Deferred American Dream EssayAs far as mode is concerned, in the first place it may be argued that spoken language tends to show a dynamic structure, while written language is more synoptic and more carefully designed. This explains the reason why news reports in broadsheets more often than not follow a highly structured organization of the information (in terms of the answers to the main wh-questions: who, what, where, when, why, how), whereas news stories in tabloids are structured mainly around the most emotive and shocking elements of the news story. Secondly, mode also exerts a significant influence on the kind of lexis used when speaking and writing. Spoken language tends to be dominated by everyday lexis (often Anglo-Saxon in origin). By contrast, written language makes more use of prestige lexis (often Latin in origin) than spoken language does. Concerning the dichotomy between tabloids and broadsheets, it appears that everyday lexis is far more common in tabloids than in broadsheets, which in turn implies the prestigious quality of broadsheets, as opposed to the everyday and informal quality characteristic of tabloids. Next, in addition to lexis, syntax also plays a major role in the linguistic differences between spoken (tabloids) and written language (broadsheets). The evidence shows that spoken language tends to be syntactically simple, while written language is usually syntactically complex. This, in turn, has a direct bearing on the lexical density of the text, in the sense that on the one hand, spoken language is lexically sparse, and on the other, written language is lexically dense. In relation to tenor, let me say that the most outstanding differences between formal and informal language have to do with lexis. One such difference stems from the emotiveness present in some words. This means that informal language (tabloids) tends to be highly attitudinal and emotional, while formal language (broadsheets) is more neutral and objective. As a general rule, there is often a one-to-one relationship between emotiveness and colloquialism, which means that attitudinal lexis tends to be colloquial (abbreviated forms, slang) as well, and neutral lexis is usually formal (full forms, no slang) as well. Another relevant lexical difference between formal and informal language lies in the naming of human participants. Informal language (tabloids) tends to employ first names, nicknames and diminutives, whereas formal language (broadsheets) often makes use of titles and full names.5 A final feature of British tabloids, as opposed to British broadsheets, was suggested by Fowler and is connected with the high degree of personalization found in tabloids. By personalization, he argued that tabloids tend to be packed with items about individuals, but they are lacking in reports of general or extended processes. This certainly goes hand in hand with the emphasis that tabloids place on gossip, emotion and scandal. Otto Friedrich has observed that the average newspaper is simply a business enterprise that sells news and uses that lure to sell advertising space Whether one would accept this assessment for true hard-news publications, it does seem to be especially appropriate for tabloids, a term used here specifically for newspapers focused on gossip which, as Levin et al. state (article abstract), could concern mundane events in the lives of the famous or bizarre events in the lives of the otherwise ordinary.

Public Policy vs. Social Norms and Corruption

Inefficient Public Policy in Sub-Sahara Africa An efficient public policy in Sub-Saharan Africa stands as an elusive solution to mismanagement of resources amid chronic poverty. In an age when the rise of Africa to the middle-income status looks imminent, authorities must invest efforts to provide solutions in public policy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Public Policy vs. Social Norms and Corruption specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Corruption that stifles development and the culture of impunity thriving across Sub-Saharan Africa must subside if the gains of imminent rise will suffice. Authorities must make efforts in curbing corruption and supporting reforms in social norms by providing necessary facilitation. In this regard, prominent anticorruption steps suitable for prescription, strengthening institutions, civil service, and economic reforms must appear in the public sector. Strengthening Public Institution s Public institutions suffer the blunt of corruption and impunity from an inefficient public service system. Therefore, weaker regulations must pave the way to vibrant systems that add value to the economies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Political processes enshrined in democratic values of integrity and accountability must continue to shape the institutional framework in the region. Instability in political transition across many jurisdictions in the region poses inherent weakness in public institutions due to the vacuum in political goodwill (Okogbule 92). The author proposes effective civilian administration with strong democratic systems such as legislation for laws curbing corruption. Civil Service Reform Corruption thrives in the absence of checks and balances occasioned by a vibrant civil society, making civil services a necessity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Democratic space witnessed in the west supports the civil service activities that facilitate constant checks in the public sector. Cases of corruption subside in an environment with a vibrant civil service, which must guide reforms needed in Sub-Saharan Africa (Fearon 114). Unionism and activism for various reform issues, especially with regard to integrity and accountability will prove influential in introducing reforms. Gains achieved among emerging democracies in Sub-Saharan Africa such as Kenya and Ghana rest in the hands of civilian watch. Therefore, involvement of civilians in transformation of the society will continue to provide desired social changes devoid of corrupt tendencies (Otusanya 176). Economic Reforms Economic processes in Sub-Saharan Africa require transformations to correspond with the rest of the global economy. In view of the needed economic reforms, bottlenecks in economies must not stand in the way of elimination of corruption opportunities. Bureaucracies provide bottlenecks in the smooth running of economic policies, which creates leakages of national resources into pockets of a few in dividuals.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Trade tariffs, on the other hand, restrict free trade among Sub-Saharan Africa nations, opening routes for lucrative contraband dealings among corrupt officials. Unified markets and fewer restrictions in the region continue to evade realization of open business opportunities for African nations. Corrupt trade officials taking charge of inefficient systems pose an enormous challenge in the introduction of credible practices to benefit the entire region. In the case of Sierra Leone, one of the strongest challenge facing social change and accountability perhaps, relates to the lack of strong institutions. The lack of strong anti-corruption institutions conspicuously manifests in the lack of support from enforcement environment in different corruption loopholes. As studies conducted by Rodgers (268) indicate, illegal mining and dealing in gold o ccasioned the gruesome rebel war in Sierra Leone. In view of the inefficiencies witnessed in the illegal diamonds trade, prescription for sufficient remedy comes from the presence of institutional oversight. Political and civil institutions in Sierra Leone could stop the escalation of illegal trade to a full-blown rebel war. The choice of this prescription supports the premise that strong institutional background will stop illegal trade processes at some stage and eliminate corruption. Works Cited Fearon, D. James. â€Å"International Financial Institutions and Economic Policy Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa.† Journal of Modern African Studies 26. 1(1988): 113-137. Print Okogbule, S. Nlerum. â€Å"An Appraisal of the Legal and Institutional Framework for Combating Corruption in Nigeria.† Journal of Financial Crime 13.1(2006): 92-106. Print Otusanya, J. Olatunde. â€Å"An Investigation of the Financial Criminal Practices of the Elite in Developing Countries: Evidence from Nigeria.† Journal of Financial Crime 19.2(2012): 175-206. Print Rodgers, J. Elizabeth. â€Å"Conflict Diamonds: Certification and Corruption: A Case Study of Sierra Leone.† Journal of Financial Crime 13.3(2006): 267-276. PrintAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Public Policy vs. Social Norms and Corruption specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on Public Policy vs. Social Norms and Corruption was written and submitted by user Josue Vega to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.