Womenstake

STOP STUPAK: Make sure health reform isn’t used to restrict access to insurance coverage for abortion

by Micole Allekotte, Health Fellow, 
National Women's Law Center 

Today the National Women’s Law Center is joining with other women’s rights and health care advocates and activists in a national day of action to tell Congress and the President that we won’t accept health reform that takes away our ability to buy health insurance that includes coverage for abortion. 

The Stupak amendment in the House added language that would in effect prohibit women who are receiving subsidies from buying insurance plans that include coverage of abortion on the exchange, even if they used their own private premium dollars to purchase the abortion coverage. Because the House amendment also prohibits insurance plans that cover even one subsidized person from providing abortion coverage, it is unlikely that any plans offered on the exchange will include abortion coverage, even for those who are not subsidized at all. Join the NWLC in making clear to the Senate that we demand health reform that keeps intact our ability to purchase comprehensive health insurance that includes abortion. 

Right now women from all over the country are lobbying their senators to ensure that the restrictive Stupak language contained in the House bill will not be included in the Senate bill. Even if you can’t make it to D.C., you can still make your voice heard. First, and most importantly, call your Senators and tell them that you oppose any amendment that limits women's ability to purchase comprehensive coverage that includes abortion care. Second, sign the petition. Finally, spread the word to your friends and family to join you in standing up for our ability to buy insurance plans that cover all of our health care needs, including abortion. We will not stop fighting until we have health reform that meets the needs of women, including our reproductive health care needs; join us by taking action now.

Ladies first – Women’s Health Amendment Vote Coming Soon

by Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights,
National Women's Law Center

You know what they say — ladies first.

The Senate has finally begun debating the historic health care reform bill. The first amendment offered is the Women’s Health Amendment — which will help make sure that key women’s preventive health is covered and affordable in the Senate health care reform bill.

Tell your Senators to vote YES on the Women’s Health Amendment — and help ensure that women’s preventive health needs are met in the Senate health care reform bill.

The amendment guarantees access to critical preventive screenings for women by ensuring that they are covered and affordable. We need you to tell your Senators to vote YES on the Women’s Health Amendment and help us get one step closer to health care reform that works for women.

This is the first amendment, but it surely won’t be the last. We’ll keep updating you as the debate moves forward. Thank you for continuing to fight with us — with your help, we are getting closer to affordable, accessible, and comprehensive health care for all.

What ESPN Left on the Cutting Room Floor

by Lara S. Kaufmann, Senior Counsel, 
National Women’s Law Center 

If you watched ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” yesterday, you know it included a segment on a client of ours, a 17-year old high school senior in Fort Worth, Texas. In case you missed it, here it is:

Watch the Video

Our client is a top student, and she was the starting setter on the school’s varsity volleyball team until the athletic coordinator found out that she was pregnant. She was then denied an equal opportunity to play based on her pregnancy, in violation of Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination in education. Just last week, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in Dallas opened an investigation into the matter.

The show was engaging, and I applaud ESPN for devoting media attention to the issue of discrimination against pregnant students, as it is still quite common but most often flies below the public’s radar. Too many people – students, parents, and school staff – still do not know that Title IX applies to schools’ treatment of pregnant and parenting students. (For more information on what Title IX requires in this regard, check out our resources on pregnant and parenting students).

Sign our Petition to Stop the Abortion Coverage Ban

by Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights, 
National Women's Law Center

This may be the season for giving — but the only thing that opponents of a woman’s right to choose are set on doing is taking away women’s access to abortion care in health care reform.

Sign our petition today and tell your leaders that women will not be shut out of health care reform — we will not tolerate having our reproductive rights taken away.

We continue to watch history in the making, with the Senate beginning debate on health care reform legislation this week. And importantly, the Senate bill does not include the House’s harmful Stupak-Pitts amendment, which takes away essential abortion coverage that most insurance plans provide today.

But make no mistake — anti-choice opponents are doing everything in their power to put the Stupak-Pitts amendment into the Senate bill. On December 2, 2009, we will be joining women from across America in a National Day of Action to ensure that women’s reproductive rights are protected in health care reform legislation, and we will deliver your signatures to our leaders in Washington, D.C. We need your help to get as many signatures as possible: sign our petition today — and tell your leaders that women need health care reform that works for us, including reproductive health services that include abortion care.

When this historic health reform bill becomes law — women can leave behind the days of being charged more than men for health insurance, denials by insurance companies for having had a Cesarean section or suffered domestic abuse under the guise that these were “pre-existing conditions,” and other major protections.

In the meantime, we need to make sure that our rights are not being traded-off in the bill. Sign the petition today and help us fight to protect women’s reproductive health.

Let's talk turkey

Over the holiday, as your family gathers around the table, be prepared to talk about what women have at stake in health care reform. Got a moment between the turkey and the football game? Tell our leaders to protect women’s reproductive health services by signing our petition.
	MYTH: We don’t need health care reform. This country has a great health care system and there’s nothing wrong with it. FACT: The United States might have some of the best doctors in the world, but Americans pay more for health care than people in any other industrialized country. And we get less for our money. Even worse, we have millions of uninsured people who cannot access health care. Eighteen percent of women in the U.S. do not have health insurance. Women who do have insurance are more likely than men to have insufficient coverage that leaves them vulnerable to financial risk and unmet health needs. More than half of all women — 52% — have had trouble getting health care due to cost, compared to 39% of men.
	MYTH: Our economy is slowly recovering. We can’t afford health care reform. FACT: The House bill that recently passed is projected to save us money — about $104 billion over 10 years. Health care reform is also expected to increase the number of insured Americans and help make health insurance more affordable. What we can’t afford is doing nothing. We are spending $2 trillion per year now on health care. And if health care costs continue to rise, at least half of U.S. households will spend more than 45% of their income on insurance by 2016.
	MYTH: Women aren’t charged more than men for health insurance. We already have laws against that. FACT: Actually, when women buy health coverage directly from insurance companies, they can be charged more than men. Female non-smokers are often charged more than men who smoke. And businesses that have a large number of female employees are charged more for insurance than other businesses. Current health care reform legislation would end this discriminatory practice.
Women need comprehensive health care reform, including access to abortion care and other reproductive health services. Women need health care reform that meets their needs, including comprehensive reproductive health services that cover abortion care. Together, we can win the fight to keep the House-passed anti-choice Stupak-Pitts amendment, which will cause millions of women to lose the abortion coverage they now have, out of the final Senate bill and then finally pass good health care reform legislation.
Done with catching up Uncle Joe and Grandma Betty about your life? Take a moment to sign our petition and tell your leaders that women need health care reform that works for us, including reproductive health services that covers abortion care.

Need a Thanksgiving Survival Guide?

by Robin Reed, Online Outreach Manager, 
National Women's Law Center 

Just in time for Turkey Day, we've got two new eCards you can send to your friends and family - whether they'll be joining you around the dinner table, or just hearing all the gossip after you get back in town.

The Thanksgiving Survival Guide offers up helpful tips for making the most of the big day.

The Pumpkin Pie Chart Recipe has everything you need to know to create a Thanksgiving dessert that’ll give your relatives something to chew on.

After you’ve sent your eCards, make sure you know the facts so that when the dinner table talk turns to politics, you can tell your fellow diners why women need health care reform. Get all the details at www.AWomanIsNotAPreExistingCondition.com.

Weekly Round-Up

by Andrea Maruniak, Program Assistant, 
National Women's Law Center 

Choices Campus Blog discussed the ways in which the U.S. lags behind other countries in implementing family-friendly work policies, such as paid sick leave, paid paternal leave and breastfeeding breaks.

Hot on the heels of the new mammogram guidelines, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released new recommendations for cervical cancer tests, reported The New York Times.

Jezebel examined college rape prevention programs and the ways in which many of these programs have shifted the focus from women to men.

RH Reality Check explored a case in which a jailed pregnant woman was denied critical care.

A group of women ski jumpers sued the organizers of the Vancouver Olympics after they were denied the right to compete in the games. Their suit failed because, according to the British Columbia Appeal Court, the organizers didn’t have the power to allow the women’s competition. (Via Feministing.)

NWLC in the News

by Andrea Maruniak, Communications Program Assistant,
National Women's Law Center

The Colorado Independent, November 17, 2009
Colorado Health Insurance Lobby Vows to Fight Mandatory Maternity Coverage

Women's eNews, November 15, 2009
Jobless Benefits Will Now Reach More Women

The New York Times, November 14, 2009
In Congress, a Predicament for Abortion Supporters

NPR, November 10, 2009
Democrats Face Backlash Over House Abortion Limits

ClickZ, November 10, 2009
Healthcare Reform Advertisers Warming Up Big Guns

U.S. News & World Report, November 9, 2009
Abortion Coverage Severely Restricted in House Health Reform Bill

Register Today: Call on State Early Childhood Advisory Councils

by Helen Blank, Director, Leadership and Public Policy,
National Women's Law Center,
and Danielle Ewen, Director of Child Care and Early Education,
CLASP

So what are states doing with economic recovery funds that are allocated to fund State Early Childhood Advisory Councils?

To help provide an update on states’ progress in using these funds to get a Council off the ground as well as information about the workings of existing Councils, the National Women’s Law Center and CLASP are hosting a free conference call. 

Update on State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.

Register Today! This conference call is free to participants, but registration is required.

More details about the key provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are available on our websites at www.nwlc.org/economicrecovery and www.clasp.org.

The call will be moderated by Helen Blank of the National Women’s Law Center and Danielle Ewen from CLASP. Presenters will discuss the progress states are making in planning and implementing Councils and include:

·    Rachel Demma, Senior Policy Analyst in Early Childhood Education, National Governors Association

·    Karen Schimke, President, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, New York

·    Dave Edie, Early Education Policy Analyst, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families

·    Jim Redmon, Executive Director, Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund

We look forward to you joining us!

Tell Your Senators that You Need It All

by Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights, 
National Women's Law Center

Why should women have to make a trade-off between our ability to get abortion coverage and trying to eliminate other unfair and discriminatory insurance practices against women in health reform?

We shouldn’t.

Tell your Senators that you need it all — health care reform that works for women includes comprehensive reproductive health care that covers abortion care.

The passage of the House health care reform bill brought us one step closer to health reform that works for women by ending higher premiums based on gender, denials by insurance companies for having had a Cesarean section or suffered domestic abuse under the guise that these were “pre-existing conditions,” and providing other major protections for women.

But anti-choice Members of Congress dealt a huge blow to women’s reproductive health coverage at the last minute by including the anti-choice Stupak-Pitts amendment in health care legislation. If this amendment becomes law, it will, in effect, prohibit women from using their own personal, private funds to purchase an insurance plan that includes abortion coverage in the new health insurance exchanges—taking away essential coverage that most insurance plans provide today.

Now, the Senate is about to take up health reform legislation. We need to make sure that they know that women demand it all because women need it all. Tell your Senators that we need health reform that works for women now, including comprehensive reproductive health care that covers abortion care.