As a family physician at a federally qualified health center, I take care of multigenerational families, the majority of whom live well below the poverty line. In one such family, I take care of many sisters, aunties, and their children, and I got to know several of the younger women as they came into their adult years.

One such sister, who I’ll call Lisa, confided in me that she had a boyfriend but was terrified of getting pregnant and missing her opportunity at going to school. Prior to the Affordable Care Act, we would have long discussions about how she could come up with the money (anywhere from $600 to $800 at the time) to get a longer acting form of contraception, like an IUD, but Lisa was already working on top of her high school classes and didn’t make that kind of money.

When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into effect, and insurance coverage of all forms of birth control was mandated, Lisa was thrilled. She was able to get an IUD covered by her insurance, and she went on to pursue her dream of a college degree, child-free. The ACA did not only change things for Lisa, but for many of my patients who no longer have to think about money when considering which form of birth control is right for them at the time.

As a provider, it’s been a breath of fresh air to just be able to focus on the medicine of health and well-being, rather than money. Women’s health care and contraception are not only basic but essential, and should not be mandated by lawmakers in DC.