by Julia Kaye, Health Policy Associate,
National Women's Law Center
At 9:30am on Saturday morning, my cell phone buzzed. “Blizzard AND healthcare reform?” my friend texted. “Nelson budged!” Elated, I leapt out of bed and ran over to my laptop. “Democrats Say They Clinch Deal on Health Care Overhaul,” the New York Times declared.
By all accounts, the Senate will pass a comprehensive health reform bill by Thursday night that will extend health insurance coverage to millions of women by expanding the Medicaid program, prohibiting harmful and discriminatory insurance industry practices, and making health insurance more affordable. If all goes according to plan, the House and Senate bills will be moved into conference within the next few weeks. It is thrilling to be this close to the historic passage of health care reform legislation.
And yet my excitement is muted; much has been sacrificed to get us to this point. Women in the United States desperately need health reform and will benefit tremendously from many of the provisions in these bills. But the Senate bill falls short on two key issues: it fails to provide adequate subsidies for lower income women, and it includes a so-called abortion “compromise” that is unworkable and unfair.
Assuming the Senate passes its health reform legislation—and we hope they do—and the bills move into conference, women in this country will have to come together to lobby Congress for the best possible combination, for a package that adequately addresses women’s unique health care needs. We hope that leadership will ensure that the strongest and fairest policies rise to the top. Stay tuned for an NWLC side-by-side on the key provisions in the House and Senate bills for women.
One thing is clear: women in this country should not be forced to hold their noses and swallow arbitrary and burdensome restrictions on access to abortion care in order to receive sorely needed and long overdue improvements to the health care system at large. We strongly urge Congress to produce a conference report that truly meets women’s needs.


