Women Would Be Better Off If Reform Passes

While President Obama and congressional Democrats discuss the public option and the absence of bipartisan support for health care reform, a front-page article in Monday’s edition of Politico proposes that highlighting the particular importance of proposed reforms to women may be the key to successful reform.

Women have a lot to gain if health reform legislation passes. Protections mentioned in the article include:

• Guaranteed maternity care
• Elimination of higher insurance premiums for women
• Protection from being denied coverage due to “pre-existing conditions” like cesarean section or domestic violence
  

Despite these protections that would address gender discrimination in health care, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that women are no more likely than men to think they “would be better off if reform passed.” According to the article, the problem is that women simply don’t know what is in the legislation for them.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) shared his perspective on just how monumental health care reform would be for women:

"Brown described the elimination of gender discrimination in health care as an historic advance comparable to landmark legislation prohibiting unequal treatment between men and women in employment, education and sports."

Do you know what’s in health care reform legislation for women? Learn more in an update from ACNM Federal Lobbyist Patrick Cooney or listen to his audiocast.