Thank YOU Affordable Care Act, For Helping Cervixes Stay Healthy!

My cervix is excited for 2012 and yours should be too!  The Affordable Care Act (ACA), despite its tender age of not-even-two, has and will continue to uphold its promise to provide more women with the quality affordable care we need to stay healthy and cervical health is no exception. 

In honor of cervical cancer awareness month, thank YOU Affordable Care Act, for helping cervixes stay healthy!

We know cervical cancer rates, with timely screenings, can be significantly reduced - introducing screening programs to populations naïve to screening reduces cervical cancer rates by 60% to 90% within three years of implementation.  This is a considerable reduction in cervical cancer rates, meaning when women have access to the health care they need, they stay healthy.  We also know that without those screenings and early detection, women face dire consequences - 85% of women who die from cervical cancer were never screened.

Preventive care services, like cervical cancer screenings, are critical to women because they allow us to monitor our health and catch illnesses before becoming catastrophic.  Regrettably, women are less likely than men to access these services due to cost.  Even small co-pays can dramatically reduce a woman’s ability to obtain preventive care.  A study by the Commonwealth Fund reported that in 2009, more than half of women delayed or avoided preventive care because of its cost.  This financial barrier has contributed to the dangerously high rates of cervical cancer and consequential high rates of mortality in some communities, particularly with women of color who don’t have good access to timely screenings and effective treatments.  Vietnamese American women experience a five times higher rate of cervical cancer than white women, and Korean American and Latina women have twice the rate of white women. In addition, black women diagnosed with cervical cancer are twice as likely as white women diagnosed to die from it. 

Two important provisions of the ACA have the potential to decrease these alarming rates of cervical cancer by eliminating the burden of cost-sharing for preventive health screenings for women.  The first has already taken effect, and women are already benefiting from it!  Starting on January 1, 2011, the ACA required Medicare to provide cervical cancer screenings without cost-sharing to the 22 million women who get health care through the Medicare program.  The second will extend similar protections – and more -- to women with private health insurance.  The ACA requires private insurers to cover preventive care services specific to women, including cervical cancer screenings, without any extra charges or co-pays starting as soon as August 2012.  This part of the law will help more women access not only cervical cancer screenings, but a full complement of the preventive health services women need to stay healthy.

We know that eliminating cost sharing is an essential element in ensuring that women are able to access the services we need.  So, from my cervix and millions of others, thank you ACA for upholding your promise to provide us with the health care we need to stay healthy!   

Dear HHS, Remember Women are Essential. Love, RWV.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued its first pre-rule bulletin on the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) provision of the health reform law.  

To meet the EHB requirements states will have to ensure that all insurance plans offered through the insurance exchanges cover the minimum set of benefits established by the law, including the 10 categories of care, like comprehensive maternity care and preventive health care that Congress laid out. The Friday bulletin from HHS says that states will be allowed to choose from several options to set up a benchmark plan, and the benefits offered under that plan will be the starting point for the state’s EHB.  A state might choose as its benchmark plan:

• One of the three largest small group plans in the state;
• One of the three largest state employee health plans:
• One of the three largest federal employee health plan options;
• The largest HMO plan offered in the state’s commercial market.

States that are hard at work creating exchanges were glad to get some direction about this important issue from HHS, and RWV is pleased that the process continues to move forward.  But health justice and women’s health advocates still have a lot of questions about what this approach will mean for people’s ability to get meaningful health care coverage, as promised by the health reform law.  We’re concerned that the approach outlined in the bulletin allows states so much flexibility that it won’t fix the problems women have been struggling with in states where high quality services are not accessible at an affordable price.

Strong federal standards for the EHB are essential to ensuring that health reform fulfills its promise to women of access to a core set of health services we need to stay healthy.  The EHB provision was supposed to correct longstanding gaps in coverage that many women currently face.  We are counting on HHS to uphold these promises by providing states with specific and enforceable direction.

HHS has requested comments on the bulletin by the end of January.  RWV plans to hold a series of calls to gather input on its strengths and on the issues that still need to be addressed before writing and submitting our comments.  To be part of this process, sign up for our newsletter to receive more information in the new year!  

Releasing a new "watch list" for state health reform advocates

 

State health insurance “exchanges” are supposed to offer consumers and small businesses quality, affordable health coverage beginning in 2014. But, as these exchanges are being developed, how can we guard against the introduction of policies that would restrict reproductive health coverage, discriminate against LGBTQ people, poorly serve immigrants or fail to adequately address health disparities?

To make this job easier for all of our reproductive justice and health reform colleagues out in the states, Raising Women’s Voices and the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) have partnered to produce a “watch list” of key exchange development issues, policy decisions and procedures.  We benefitted from the suggestions of RWV regional coordinators who have been grappling with exchange development issues in their states, and from some of our colleagues at national organizations working on health policy for women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ people, low-income communities and people facing end-of-life care decisions.

So, what should you be watching and seeking to influence as a health exchange is created and developed in your state? Here are key categories in our “watch list” for state advocates:

• Exchange Leadership: Who will be making the decisions about your exchange’s policies? How do we guard against undue influence by insurance company representatives and people promoting anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-reform and other regressive policies?
• Governance: Will your exchange operate in a transparent way and engage the public?
• Consumer Assistance:  Will a diverse array of consumers really get the help they need in choosing health coverage that meets their needs and fits their budgets?
• Provider Network Adequacy: Will the health plans offered in your state exchange include enough reproductive health providers, community health centers, providers who can serve LGBTQ people and providers who speak languages other than English?
• Coverage Benefits: Which reproductive health services will be covered? Will coverage work to reduce health disparities?
• Refusals/Restrictions: What demands are you likely to encounter that providers, insurers and even people enrolling in plans be allowed to refuse to provide or pay for services that conflict with their moral or religious beliefs?
• Effects on Providers: How will family planning providers accommodate an anticipated increase in patients seeking care? Will provider reimbursements be sufficient?

Yes, we know that not all states are moving forward rapidly in creating state exchanges, and some are outright resisting doing so – essentially betting that health reform will be repealed by a new Congress or struck down by the Supreme Court. But 11 states already have officially created exchanges and more will be moving to do so in 2012. State officials are being spurred by the availability of federal  exchange development grants and by worries that they might be caught unprepared and have to let the federal government run their exchange.

Need more advice on anything we’ve covered in this “watch list”? Want to offer a suggestion or an example of how you have handled one of these issues in your state? Contact us at info@raisingwomensvoices.net.

Calling On President Obama to Demonstrate His Respect for Women

President Obama LIKES TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE LIVES IN A HOUSEHOLD OF STRONG WOMEN.  When he does it, he seems genuinely pleased and proud to be able to talk about his daughters, his wife and his mother-in-law in those terms.  And as a feminist, it makes me happy that we have a president who respects women and takes pride in his association with strong women.

But I’m hearing rumors lately that the president may be about to announce a decision that fundamentally disrespects women.  Instead of standing strong in defense of contraceptive coverage – a provision of health reform that will help to make the promise of affordable access to the health care we need real for millions of women – the White House may be about to strip that promise away from some women.

It’s not just women’s health advocates, like me, who think that contraceptive coverage is good policy.  Medical experts from the Institute of Medicine reviewed the evidence and concluded that CONTRACEPTION IS A PROVEN AND ESSENTIAL PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICE FOR WOMEN.  Public opinion research shows that most people agree that insurance companies and employers should cover contraception without co-pays. 

But there’s a narrow minority of religious leaders who don’t agree, and they’re pulling out all the stops to put pressure on the White House to let some employers play by different rules, denying women who work for those employers the coverage they need to lead healthy reproductive lives.  The US Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling for a broad exemption from the contraceptive coverage policy that would give employers the right to make health care decisions for the women who work for them.  That’s not respecting women – and it’s not what we expect from President Obama!

The consequences of allowing religiously affiliated employers to deny contraceptive coverage have become painfully apparent in some states in recent years. The president should listen to the voices of the women who have had to live with the results.

In Muskegon, MI, employees of secular Hackley Hospital lost their contraceptive coverage when the hospital became part of a Catholic healthcare system.  One nurse described the burden and anxiety that the coverage exclusion imposed on her family, and the desperate need they feel for help:

“We are just praying I don’t get pregnant until we can figure out how to get something. … My third pregnancy I lost twins. … I can’t go through more. It’s taken a toll on my marriage.”

Another woman noted that although the policy respects the religious view of her employer, it fails to respect her own views:

 “If I have health insurance,” she said, “I should get birth control . . . why should I have to follow what they believe?” 

The broader religious employer exemption being proposed would replicate these women’s experiences, nationwide.  President Obama, we’re calling on you to show your respect for ALL women – please, stand up for the contraceptive coverage policy that respects our right to make our own decisions about contraception

This blog entry was part of the HERvotes blog carnival.

What sound did the Turkey's phone make?

Wing! Wing!

Call the White House TODAY

 
Tell the President: Don’t deny contraceptive coverage to any woman!
 
Our biggest victory for women’s health this year – contraceptive coverage with no co-pays – is under attack by the nation’s Catholic Bishops. They are pressuring the White House to insert a broadly-worded “religious employer exemption” into the HHS contraceptive coverage rule that goes into effect next August. If the Bishops get their way, women who work for religiously-affiliated hospitals, social services agencies, colleges and schools could be denied contraceptive coverage by their employers.
 
We cannot let this happen! 
 
Call the President at (202) 559-1164 and tell him he must ensure ALL women have coverage for contraception. 
 
 Here are some suggested talking points:

• Contraception is a proven and essential preventive health service for women. Experts from the Institute of Medicine recognized this, and HHS made the right decision in ordering insurance companies and employers to start covering contraception without co-pays next year.
• Letting some employers deny this new coverage to employees and their families has no basis in the law and is simply bad policy.  There are compelling reasons why public policy must ensure all women have contraceptive coverage.
• The contraceptive coverage requirement will help to make the promise of health reform real for millions of women. The President should be focused on keeping that promise and not allow it to be stripped away from some women.

Or tweet using the #bcrefusal hashtag:

• I call on @BarackObama to stand strong against efforts to deny women coverage for birth control. #bcrefusal
• Don’t Deny Contraception to Any Woman! http://bit.ly/ttmn6F #bcrefusal
• A woman’s conscience determines her use of contraception, not the conscience of her employer. http://bit.ly/ttmn6F #bcrefusal

Turkey photo courtesy of: http://www.mobile-weblog.com/50226711/why_you_should_not_buy_a_new_mobile_phone_this_holiday.php

Say What? Real Talk about Health Exchanges

My name is Jasmine Burnett and I have joined the Raising Women’s Voices team in NYC this week as a part-time community organizer building support for a NYS Health Exchange.  My work with RWV-NY has been made possible by grants from the Ms. Foundation for Women and Health Care for All NY.  My background is in reproductive justice organizing, as lead organizer for SisterSong NYC/Trust Black Women.  I was asked to provide some tips on how to talk about state health exchanges in a way that I understand it which for me means, simple and easy to understand.

Policy is not my favorite topic.  I find any way to avoid it. But if the political is personal, then I better take my understanding of politics and policy personally.  The current war on women’s rights and women’s health puts policy at our doorstep, in our homes and our communities.  Here are some quick and easy tips that have been successful for me in talking about health reform to my community, and might help you.

Become Informed

It is important to become informed about the discussion you are trying to get your community engaged in.  The fact sheets provided by Raising Women’s Voices offer the hard facts about the policies.  The RWV conference calls can help you tease out the information that’s relevant to the communities you serve and help you identify examples to make your messaging clear. You can also ask questions to clarify things you and your constituents might find confusing.

Use storytelling in everyday language

Part of engaging others in health care reform discussions is being able to explain policy in everyday language.  While we typically call the exchange a “marketplace” where individuals can buy affordable health insurance, I like to use the analogy of Walmart.

Walmart buys merchandise in bulk and passes the savings onto the shopper. Ideally, exchanges will work the same way. Exchanges could serve as “active purchasers” of health coverage for everyone who needs it and make sure the plans offered are affordable and have good quality.

Some people, though, choose not to shop at Walmart because of concerns about its employment practices or conditions in particular stores and neighborhoods.  With the health insurance exchange, we won’t have another store to shop in for quality, affordable health coverage.  That is why we will need to hold our state exchange accountable for using ethical standards in determining what kind of health coverage and which health plans are in the best interest of our communities.

Fortunately, our state health exchanges will not be operated by private businesses like Walmart.  In most states, the health exchanges will be operated by public authorities or state agencies.  This means the people who are running our exchanges must take into account the public interest when making decisions about our health coverage.  We need to make sure these exchange board members do not have conflicts of interest, such as working for the same health insurance companies that want to sell us coverage.

The exchange also must work to address long-standing health disparities based on race, ethnicity, gender, primary language, sexual orientation and disability.  That is why our exchange board members and the members of any advisory boards that are created must be diverse, and represent the interests of all our communities.

Appeal to your visual learners

Reading content through emails or documents can be boring sometimes.  Seeing the same font over and over on a page is like listening to someone speak monotone about policy.  Not fun.  Spice it up with fun colors, fonts and images on a PowerPoint presentation! 

These 3 quick tips will have you on your way to making policy conversational, fun and relevant.  If you would like more information and tips, reach out at: jasmine[at]raisingwomensvoices[dot]net.

Health Care Reform goes to the Supreme Court

This week, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear a constitutional claim against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2012.  With more than 25 lawsuits filed against the ACA since it became law in 2010, it seemed inevitable that the court would agree to decide if and to what extent the ACA is constitutional. 

The arguments will primarily focus on the law’s individual mandate requirement and accompanying penalties for noncompliance, but will also address the planned Medicaid expansion.  The court decision, expected by June 2012, could have several different outcomes: the law is constitutional as it stands; the individual mandate is unconstitutional, but the rest of the law remains; or the individual mandate is unconstitutional and so integral to the ACA that the rest of the law crumbles.  Alternatively, the court may decide it cannot make a determination until April 2015, when individuals will be first become subject to penalties for not having health insurance and the case becomes “ripe” enough to hear.     

Raising Women’s Voices has been a vocal advocate of health care reform since deliberations for the law began in 2009 because we know women need access to quality affordable health care.  We agree with the constitutional law experts and economists who say the law is perfectly legal.  We also agree with the 90% of Americans who say the health care system we had before was broken.  As more of the benefits of the ACA are put into place, it is easy to see its vast improvements to health care and impossible to imagine it going back to the way it was: a broken system that was too expensive, covered too few people and discriminated against women.