Uncategorized

No Copay Day and You

American women should be celebrating today because an important provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is going into effect. Birth control will officially be available to women with no copay, as will breast exams, breast-feeding support, domestic violence counseling, HPV testing, and many other services.  These preventative services will save women a huge sum […]

Uncategorized

HERvotes Blog Carnival: National Women’s Health Week

By Cindy Pearson, co-founder of Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need For the 13th #HERvotes blog carnival, we’re celebrating National Women’s Health Week.  The federal government launched National Women’s Health Week ten years ago in an effort to improve women’s health by building awareness about things like exercise, healthy eating and the […]

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HERvotes Blog Carnival: What Health-Care Reform Means to Women

By Cindy Pearson, co-founder of Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need For the tenth #HERvotes blog carnival, we’re celebrating the second anniversary of the new health-reform law, the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. Why are women so excited about the ACA? Well, for a start, the law has already started removing barriers […]

Health

Health Reform: Winning for Women

by Tara Mancini,  co-chair of WIN’s Women’s Health Policy Network I think it is no coincidence that the 2nd anniversary of the ACA coincides with the celebration of Women’s History Month. Women have made numerous contributions to society that throughout the ages have received little attention, much like the important protections afforded to women through […]

Health

VICTORY: Health & Human Services Decides in Favor of Women’s Health

This afternoon, US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the Obama administration released their decision not to broaden the exemption for birth control without copay. In August, HHS ruled that a host of women’s preventive health care services – including all FDA approved contraceptive methods – will be covered under […]

Health

The Affordable Care Act and Women

By Desiree Hoffman YWCA USA Director of Advocacy and Policy March 23, 2011, marked the first anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Yet polls show that less than 47% of Americans know how it affects them.1 Lack of understanding was highest among low-income households and the uninsured.  When asked, “Do you feel you have […]

Health

No Copay for Birth Control? A Great First Step Towards Truly Universal Access

by Kelly Blanchard, Ibis Reproductive Health Contraception is a critical preventive health care tool for women and families. Contraception allows women (and their partners) to plan their pregnancies and avoid pregnancy when they don’t want to have a baby, and planned pregnancies are healthier for women and children. Women with planned pregnancies are more likely […]

Health Uncategorized

Vaccinating the Public Against Health Care Misinformation

by Lisa Bennett, NOW Communications Director A factually-challenged email is making the rounds, scaring people into thinking that Medicare premiums are going to start rising next year due to provisions in the 2010 health care reform law. My well-meaning aunt forwarded this email to friends and family, not wanting them to get caught off guard […]

Health

It’s In The Law: Breaking Down What’s In It For You in the New Health Care Law

by Thao Nguyen, National Women’s Law Center Greater protections against insurance company abuses: NO MORE RESCISSIONS: Insurance companies are prohibited from dropping your coverage if you become sick. NO MORE LIFETIME LIMITS: Insurance companies are prohibited from limiting the amount of money they will pay for your benefits over your lifetime. NO MORE ANNUAL CAPS: […]

Reproductive Rights

Federal Judge Refuses to Block Kansas Law Prohibiting Abortion Coverage

US Senior District Judge Wesley Brown denied the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) motion to block a Kansas law that prohibits private health insurance plans from covering abortion services, except when the woman’s life is endangered. Under the law, women who seek coverage for abortion services must purchase a separate rider to cover non-lifesaving abortions. […]

Health Politics Reproductive Rights

A Preventive Health Care Game-Changer for Women

By Kari Paul In a huge victory for women’s health, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report today advised that birth control and seven other women’s health services should be considered “preventive care” and be covered by health insurance with no co-pay. The institute’s recommendations for no-cost coverage also include yearly preventative-care visits; lactation counseling and […]

Ms. Magazine Politics

Sneak Peek at the new Spring Ms.: 5 of the 25 Gains for Women in the Health-Care Bill

Feminists didn’t get everything we wanted in the historic health-insurance reform package passed in March: The lack of a public option and limits on abortion coverage were the most glaring setbacks, and a single-payer system wasn’t even considered. But bottom line, an additional 32 million Americans will gain health-care coverage—meaning that the vast majority in […]