Background | Updates | Resources | Action
Background
Access to affordable, quality health care has a tremendous impact on a woman’s ability to effectively and productively participate in the workforce and on employer’s efforts to create a successful workplace. In the US, health care cannot be had without health insurance and the high cost of health insurance is crippling women and some employers. Reform of the health care system is necessary to achieve successful workplaces where women and families can succeed and businesses can profit.
Health care reform is a woman’s issue, a family issue and a small business issue. The high cost of health care has a disproportionate impact on women. On average, women of childbearing age pay 68 percent more out-of-pocket for their health care than men. The uncertainty in the insurance market impacts children, elderly parents and spouses who count on an employee’s health insurance coverage. The cost of providing health care is crippling businesses of all sizes, especially small businesses. Sixty percent of America’s uninsured are small business owners, workers and their families.
BPW Foundation supports health care reform that recognizes the diverse needs of women, families and small business as they strive to create successful workplaces.
Updates
Wait, We Do Want to Be Part of Health Care Reform
June 17, 2010
During the health care reform debate, legislators made it clear that none of the proposed changes would impact TRICARE – the military health care program. After the bill passed, military families argued that they were being denied one of the good things in health care reform – covering dependent children up to age 26. As a result, an amendment has been added to the Defense Authorization bill extending health care coverage to dependent children up to age 26 for TRICARE beneficiaries.
Women Veterans Health Improvement Act Passes
May 5, 2010
The President signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act (S. 1963) into law. The bill contains several provisions relating to women veterans including the Women Veterans Health Improvement Act (HR 1211) supported by BPW Foundation advocates.Sponsored by Sen. Akaka (D-HI), the omnibus bill requires the VA to report on barriers encountered by women veterans receiving VA health care and develop a plan to improve the provision of health care services to women veterans.
Health Care Reform and Women
April 15, 2010
Women are 50 percent of the population, 49 percent of the U.S. workforce and we are “paying” more for health care. The recently passed Health Care Reform bill makes health insurance more affordable and easier to obtain and that will help women. Women will benefit from the ban on gender-biased premiums and from the affordable access to breast and cervical cancer screenings. Working moms benefit from the stipulation requiring employers to offer breaks and space for nursing mothers to pump breast milk. Additionally the new tax credits for small-business owners who provide insurance to their employees, benefits women, as women own the majority of small businesses in the United States. Read more>>>
Health Care Reform Will Improve Outcomes for Women, Families and Small Business
March 22, 2010
“The passage of health care reform will improve outcomes forwomen, families and small businesses. This initial solution may not be perfect but it is a critical first step to achieve systemic change in U.S. health care – the status quo was literally killing us. BPW Foundation has heard from both our employee and employer supporters that health care reform is necessary to achieve successful workplaces where women and families can succeed and businesses can profit.
We must continue to improve health care. Reform should include affordability, equality of access and care, stability and security, shared responsibility, and support for prevention. BPW Foundation supports health care reform that recognizes the diverse needs of women, families and small businesses as they work together to create successful workplaces." Read More>>>
BPW Opposes Charging Higher Premiums Based on Health Status
January 7, 2010
BPW Foundation joined with over 100 organizations to express concern over a provision in the Senate health care reform bill that allows employers to charge employees more for their health insurance based on a health status factor - such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol. The language in the Senate bill expands upon regulations governing worksite wellness programs issued by the Bush Administration which allow employers and insurers to apply rewards or penalties to worker’s health insurance costs based on a health status factor.
Senate Passes Health Care Reform Bill
December 24, 2009
On Christmas Eve, the Senate voted 60 to 39 to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Senate version of health care reform includes some good and bad stuff for women. On the plus side - an expansion of Medicaid coverage and an end to insurance coverage exclusions for women who have suffered domestic violence or who have had Cesarean sections. On the bad side – an arbitrary and burdensome restriction on abortion that requires women and men who want coverage for themselves and their families to write two checks, one for all health insurance coverage except abortion and one for abortion coverage. House and Senate Democrats are currently hashing their differences in conference and are determined to deliver a bill to the President by the state of the union address.
Senate Hammers Out the Details on Health Care Reform
November 21, 2009
The US Senate voted to move forward with debate on health care reform. Since then there have been over 327 amendments filed and 16 votes on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has imposed a Christmas deadline for completion of the bill. On November 30, an amendment proposed by Sen. Mikulski (D-MD) was adopted which requires all health plans to cover comprehensive women’s preventive care and screenings at no additional cost to women. On December 8, the Senate voted to table an amendment introduced by Sens. Nelson (D-NE) and Hatch (R-UT) that would have instituted a ban on abortion care coverage in the proposed health insurance exchanges.
Health Care Reform Passes House
November 7, 2009
The House of Representatives held a rare Saturday vote and passed by a narrow vote of 220-215, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962). The bill eliminates gender-based pricing in health insurance, bans insurance companies from denying coverage of pre-existing conditions including pregnancy, breast cancer and intimate-partner abuse; requires coverage of preventive care such as Pap smears and mammograms and includes a national insurance exchange where small businesses can buy insurance at lower cost. The bill also passed with an amendment barring coverage for abortion under any plans that use federal subsidies. The abortion ban came after the national organization of Catholic bishops threatened to condemn the bill from every pulpit if the abortion ban was not approved. In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has backed away from committing to passage of health care reform legislation this year.
Congress Debates Health Care Reform Specifics
October 29, 2009
House and Senate leaders are attempting to turn a patchwork of committee efforts into a single health care reform bill in each chamber. There is a growing sense that there are enough votes to pass a health care reform bill and prospects are high that some version of a “public option” will be included. Senate Majority Leader Reid has come out in favor of a national public insurance option with an opt-out provision for states that do not want to participate. Once the mergers are complete, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office will determine how much each bill costs, and they will move separately to the House and Senate floors, likely in early November. Check out the Washington Post's "8 Questions About Health Care" series for quick and dirty info on the issue.
Senate Committee Passes Health Care Reform Bill
October 13, 2009
The Senate Finance Committee approved a health care reform bill after considering over 100 amendments. Finance Chair Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) worked hard to craft a bill that would gain some Republican support and was able to win over one Republican - Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME). The Congressional Budget Office said the bill would reduce the deficit and provide for health insurance coverage for 94 percent of all Americans. Next, the Finance Committee and HELP Committee bills will have to be melded together and then considered on the Senate floor.
Michelle Obama Briefing on Health Care Reform
September 17, 2009
BPW Foundation Director of Communication Ayoka Blandford attended a briefing with First Lady Michelle Obama on health care reform. Mrs. Obama said that, “Overhauling health care is very much a women's issue, and if we want to achieve true equality for women . . . then we have to reform this system. The status quo is unacceptable. It is holding women and families back.” Click here to read more >>>
Long Awaited Senate Finance Committee Bill Released
September 16, 2009
Senator Baucus (D-MT) released his Chairman’s mark of the Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill. Senator Baucus had been making a real effort to develop a bipartisan bill. The Finance Committee is expected to begin the markup process on September 22nd. After the Finance Committee passes their bill, the two versions from Finance and HELP will be combined together to be moved to the Senate floor for amendments and a full vote.
Eliminate Gender and Age Discrimination in Health Care
September 15, 2009
BPW Foundation joined with 20 other organizations to encourage the White House to eliminate gender and age discrimination, along with discrimination based on pre-existing conditions and health status, in health care. Women over 40 often cannot find affordable coverage, because gender and age are considered pre-existing conditions.
President Obama Asks Congress to Act on Health Care Reform
September 9, 2009
President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on the topic of healthcare reform and introduced his own plan. The President’s plan has three major goals: 1) to bring stability and security to those who have health insurance; 2) to provide quality, affordable choices for those who do not have health insurance; and 3) to slow the growth in the cost of healthcare for families, businesses, and government.
Healthcare IS a Woman's Issue
September 1, 2009
BPW Foundation CEO Deborah L. Frett submitted a Letter to the Editor in response to the Women eNews article suggesting that the health cared debate is slowing down progress on women's issues.
BPW Foundation Calls for Health Care Reform NOW
August 27, 2009
BPW Foundation CEO Deborah L. Frett called on Congress and the Administration to take action on health care reform. “The current health care system is failing women, families and small businesses and that is why we need comprehensive reform now. BPW Foundation supports health care reform that recognizes the diverse needs of women, families and small business as they strive to create successful workplaces.
We understand that it will be difficult. We know that the initial solution may not be perfect but we must improve the health care system now - the status quo is killing us. BPW Foundation has heard from both our employee and employer supporters that health care reform is necessary to achieve successful workplaces where women and families can succeed and businesses can profit.” Click here to read full statement >>>
JEC Report on Health Care Reform and Women
August 7, 2009
The Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a report, Comprehensive Health Care Reform: An Essential Prescription for Women, on the problems women are facing as they lose their health insurance due to either their own or their own or their spouse’s job loss. The JEC report finds that women are particularly vulnerable by their dependence on their spouse’s employer-sponsored health insurance. In addition, during the recent economic down turn younger and older women are more at risk of being un- or under-insured. Read more >>>
House Committees Pass Health Care Reform
July 31, 2009
In the House, the Chairmen of the three committees of jurisdiction - Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor - released a combined "tri-committee" bill. All three committees held hearings on the bill draft in June and have marked up their version of the bill. The House Ways and Means Committee, Education and Labor Committee, and Energy and Commerce Committee have passed the bill, HR 3200, and referred it to the full House for consideration. Like in the Senate, the committees will combine their bills into one package and take it to the House floor for amendments and a vote. The House will vote on HR 3200 sometime in late September or early October.
Wal-Mart backs employer mandate for health coverage
July 27, 2009
Wal-Mart and the Service Employees International Union drafted a joint letter along with the Center for American Progress, a self-described progressive think tank based in Washington, D.C., to tell Obama they believe today's soaring health care costs are a result of so many people being uninsured. The company has worked in recent years to improve its own reputation as being bad for the health care system. The company now boasts that it insures more than half of its work force, including part-time workers, and that nearly 95% of its employees are insured either through Wal-Mart's plan or another insurance provider.
Report on Health Care Reform and Small Businesses
July 25, 2009
The White House Council of Economic advisors issued a report on economic effects of health care reform on small business. Click here to read full report >>>
Senate Health Committee Approves Health Care Bill
July 15, 2009
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved a bill to revamp the nation’s health care system.
HHS Releases Study on Small Business and Healthcare
April 27, 2009
The Department of Health and Human Services released a new report entitled, "Helping the Bottom Line: Health Reform and Small Business". The study reveals that a large fraction of uninsured workers are in small businesses with nearly one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – employees of firms with less than 100 workers. The report also states that fewer small businesses are offering insurance.
Resources
Cutting Through the Noise on Health Care Reform Resources
