Womenstake

What Women Want: Equal Benefits for Equal Premiums

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager, 
National Women's Law Center 

The “What Women Want: Equal Benefits for Equal Premiums” hearing convened by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee yesterday largely focused on the twin health care reform goals of access to affordable insurance options and ensuring that all plans include adequate coverage. Several NWLC staffers were there for this much-anticipated opportunity to raise awareness on how the current health care system fails women. 

As Senator Mikulski said in her opening remarks regarding the need for health reform, women “pay more—in higher premiums—and get less.” Many of the Senators in attendance focused on the fact that women are paid less than men, yet are routinely charged significantly higher premiums for inadequate coverage that doesn’t even include maternity care. Senator Mikulski succinctly stated what we as women know: “Health care reform is a must-do women’s issue.” 

NWLC Co-President, Marcia Greenberger, testified regarding “the unfair and discriminatory practices of the health insurance industry, including gender rating, the exclusion of health care services that only women need, and pre-existing condition denials.” Her testimony at the hearing came as we're preparing to launch our new campaign, Being a Woman Is Not a Pre-Existing Condition (check out that website on Tuesday for more!). Marcia’s testimony and the campaign focus on the discrimination women face in the individual market, where women are unfairly charged higher premiums than men, even though the plans usually do not include maternity care, and in the group insurance market, where workplaces with predominantly female workforces pay significantly higher premiums.

Women of low and middle incomes are unable to afford to insure themselves and are forced to make medical decisions, including the decision about whether to have children, based on what kinds of coverage they can obtain, as testified to so eloquently by two mothers who attended the hearing.  Amanda Buchanan, a young mother from Weiser, Idaho, testified that she no longer has health insurance herself because she had to forego it in order to pay down the hospital bills after her son was born -- hospital bills that resulted because her health insurance did not cover maternity care.  She ended her testimony by calling for a public option. Peggy Robertson, a mother from Centennial, Colorado, testified that she was denied health insurance because she had delivered her son by caesarian section and was informed by an insurance company that they would cover her only if she underwent a sterilization. She is now unable to have a third child because she cannot afford to pay for a further caesarian and is unable to obtain an insurance policy that provides sufficient maternity coverage to cover these costs.

Also testifying were James Guest, President and CEO of the Consumers Union, Janice Shaw Crouse, Director and Senior Fellow at Concerned Women for America, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and Director of the Center for Employment Policy, and Karen Ignani, President and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans.

October is Sex Ed Month of Action – Get Moving!

By Candace Webb, Outreach Manager,
National Women's Law Center 

Since 1996, Congress has provided more than one billion dollars in federal funding to states, communities and school districts to implement “abstinence-only” programs. And just last week, Congress voted once again to continue funding these failed programs. These programs have repeatedly been proven ineffective, as studies have shown. And as my colleague Julia Kaye pointed out last week some federally funded abstinence-only programs promote stereotypes about gender and relationships.

Unlike failed abstinence-only programs, comprehensive sexuality education programs provide teens complete information, are medically accurate, and have an evidence base of effectiveness. For these reasons and more, the National Women’s Law Center fully supports efforts to help young people on their campuses and in their communities across the country to build momentum for comprehensive sex education during October’s Sex Ed Month of Action – and to urge their Members of Congress to become co-sponsors of the Responsible Education About Life Act (the REAL Act).  

Having been a youth sexual health educator myself, I know just how important medically accurate and science-based comprehensive sexuality education is to keeping teens and young adults knowledgeable and equipped with the skills needed to make life-long healthy and responsible decisions. On many occasions, I educated youth that came from very conservative families where sex and birth control were taboo topics and were never discussed. On the flip side, I came across youth who had parents that used a positive sexuality approach toward sexuality education and talked openly and honestly with their children from a young age about sex, relationships, and sexual health issues so that they could develop healthy attitudes toward sexuality and themselves.

Another lesson I learned as a youth sexual health educator was the vital role schools and communities have in preparing young people for a lifetime of sexual health. I learned that many young women relied on the information they received in schools because they were not getting this much-needed information in a more intimate family setting. In the ideal world, parents would be the primary sexual health educators of their children – meaning they would be comfortable talking to their children about relationships and safer sex, and there would be less pressure on schools to be the exclusive providers of the only accurate sexual health information youth will ever get.

Stop Using Reproductive Rights as an Excuse to Block Health Reform

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager,
National Women's Law Center 

Enough is enough. I’m getting sick and tired of efforts by anti-choice and anti-health care reform advocates trying to hijack health reform legislation by attacking abortion. 

It’s a no-brainer that health reform shouldn’t result in people losing insurance coverage they already have.  But that’s just what anti-choice advocates are trying to do.  Instead of standing with us to make health care more available and affordable for women and their families, anti-choice advocates are trying to use this bill to enact a nationwide abortion ban in the private insurance market.  That’s right: a nationwide ban that would prohibit women from buying health insurance that includes coverage of abortion, a ban that would take abortion coverage away from the millions – yes, millions – of women who already have it. 

So, anti-choicers are wrong on the merits.  Turns out, they’re wrong on the politics, too.  They seem to think that talking endlessly about abortion will convince Americans to oppose health care reform.  Wrong.  Our polling shows that voters don’t want politicians making decisions about their reproductive health care, with three-quarters saying that decisions about abortion in health care reform should be left to medical experts – not politicians.  Still, anti-choicers seem to think they’re bringing down health care reform by hollering about how terrible it is that insurance plans cover abortion.  Turns out, what actually scares people is eliminating coverage women currently have.  In fact, if reform eliminated current insurance coverage of reproductive health services such as birth control or abortion, nearly two-thirds of Americans (60%) would oppose the plan.  Scary, indeed.

Fired Up and Ready to Go: Health Reform Advocates Brave Summer Heat to Show Support

By Candace Webb, Outreach Manager, 
National Women's Law Center

Today, several National Women's Law Center staff members braved the summer heat and joined hundreds of other enthusiastic advocates for a health care reform rally near the Democratic National Committee headquarters. We were all eager to greet the President’s motorcade as he approached the site of where he would discuss the importance of passing real health reform this year.

Fired up and ready to dispel the myths and fear tactics that anti-health care reformers have been churning out in the media, we were surprised that we didn’t encounter a single anti-health care reformer. However, we did encounter excitement and a sense of optimism that our elected officials will do what is right for our country and pass health care reform legislation this year that will meet the needs of women and their families.

My colleagues’ reflections sum up today’s rally best: 

• Julia: “Despite the heat, I couldn’t resist waving my “Women Can’t Wait for Health Reform” sign right along the side of the road, where I could see the drivers waving and giving me the thumbs up from within their (air-conditioned!) cars. My sunburn was definitely worth the reminder of just how popular health care reform really is.” 
  
• Grace: “What an amazing feeling to join together with health care advocates from all walks of life – coming from different backgrounds and angles to express our support for health care reform. The rally was a perfect way to remember how vibrant and strong we really are.” 
  
• Golda: “I’m tired of hearing media stories about Americans losing confidence that President Obama can lead the country to comprehensive health care reform.  Seeing hundreds of people chant, cheer, play music, and civilly converse about the issues—all in 100-degree heat and humidity—reminded me that we need to fight harder and be louder in our support of meaningful reform.” 
  
• Rio: “It was only fitting that I brought along the Texas heat to D.C., as I attended my first-ever DC rally. I was energized to see and hear the diverse voices for health care reform—ranging from everyday citizens to women’s rights and human rights groups, child advocacy organizations, and labor unions.” 

The rally’s huge success reinforced the desperate need for reform, as well as the immense support for health care that is affordable, accessible, and comprehensive. For more on what you can do in your community to help support health care reform, please visit our Reform Matters website.

Rally Wednesday in D.C. to Confirm Judge Sotomayor!

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager,
National Women's Law Center

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5 at 12:00 p.m. EST, the National Women’s Law Center, our partners in the civil rights community, and hundreds of supporters of Judge Sonia Sotomayor will gather at Upper Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. with Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to call for the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to the U. S. Supreme Court.

We hope you’ll join us at the U.S. Capitol to show your support for Judge Sotomayor!

Rally to Confirm Judge Sotomayor!
When: Wednesday, August 5, 2009; 12:00 p.m. E.S.T.
Where: Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill (Washington, D.C.)
200 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., near the Union Station Metro 
(closest metro stop: Union Station)

Here’s a map of the location:

View Larger Map

To learn more about Judge Sotomayor and this important Supreme Court nomination, visit our website. 

See you on the Hill!

Just In: David Souter to Retire from Supreme Court

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager, 
National Women’s Law Center 

Supreme Court Justice David Souter has announced he will be retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court after nearly two decades of service on the bench. He will serve out the rest of this term until a successor has been chosen and confirmed. Read NPR’s breaking news report.

NWLC Applauds Senate Judiciary Committee for Approving Holder’s Nomination for AG

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager
National Women's Law Center

This morning, with an overwhelming vote of support, the Senate Judiciary Committee, approved the nomination of Eric Holder for U.S. Attorney General –- sending his nomination to the full Senate floor.  It has been reported that the floor vote could happen as early as Thursday. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved his nomination with a bipartisan vote of 17 to 2. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) voted against Holder’s nomination, although six of their Republican colleagues supported it.

Among all of Holder’s other qualifications, Senator Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, particularly noted Holder’s commitment to “strengthening the Violence Against Women Act and defending the Voting Rights Act”. Here's Chairman Leahy’s full statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

After eight years of the U.S. Department of Justice failing to protect and enforce the legal rights of women, it is crucial to confirm a U.S. Attorney General who will restore the Department’s ability to fully enforce the vital rights and legal protections so important to all Americans, and most especially to women. Attorney General nominee Holder is such an individual. Holder has demonstrated he is ready to restore the Department of Justice and is committed to the Department’s mission. The National Women’s Law Center applauds the Senate Judiciary Committee for approving Holder’s nomination for U.S. Attorney General and urges his swift confirmation by the full Senate.

NWLC Celebrates 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager
National Women's Law Center

Today is not only the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that secured abortion rights for women in the United States, but it is also the dawn of a new day for reproductive justice to be realized.

The 36th anniversary of the Roe decision is being marked during the week of our country’s historic inauguration of our first African-American President –- a public servant who has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and reaffirmed his commitment to preserving a women’s right to choose under Roe v. Wade a priority as president. In a written statement released on his second day in office, President Obama did not ignore the divisive politics that have persisted for decades over abortion, but instead said:

"On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose.

"While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services.

In Honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager
and Thao Nguyen, Outreach Manager
National Women's Law Center

Today, we thought we'd post a video sharing our reflections about Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the upcoming inauguration.

WAD08: AIDS Still Increasingly Wears a Woman’s Face

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager
National Women's Law Center

This week, we marked the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, but also the first World AIDS Day we observed since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its controversial new HIV incidence data -– revealing the HIV epidemic in the United States is far worse than we previously thought. As someone who lost her mother as a teenager to complications of AIDS and has subsequently been committed to not only educating herself about the disease and its impact on families and communities -– but also as someone who has channeled this experience into social justice work and women’s health advocacy -– I was not entirely shocked at the CDC’s revelation that in fact we are experiencing more new HIV infections each year than previously estimated (56,300 new infections vs. the formerly estimated 40,000). But what I did find appalling was that of the approximately 1.1 million Americans now estimated to be living with HIV – about 25% (280,000) are women. This figure may not at first seem alarming, but if I were to tell you that the rate of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses among women has quadrupled since 1988, what would you then think? If you believe this trend to be unacceptable, then you are not alone. As Molly Ginty from Womens eNews wrote, “This disease [HIV] still remains a crisis because women are still falling through the cracks.”

But there is hope. For women with HIV in the United States, new HIV treatments and family-centered HIV care programs have made it possible to no longer see HIV as a death sentence. These life-extending treatments and family-centered programs provide opportunities for HIV-positive women to not only realize their reproductive desires to bear children without transmitting the virus, but to also to live to raise them.

However, one-quarter of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses each year are among women, particularly women of color. And while black women are hardest hit –- representing 66% of all AIDS diagnoses among women -– black and Latina women, together, account for a massive 82% of all women diagnosed with AIDS in the United States, although comprising only 24% of the entire U.S. female population.

Here are some more facts to know: