Womenstake

Rising to Protect Abortion Care for the Most Vulnerable Women

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

Recently, we told you about how the Administration indicated the intention to apply an abortion coverage ban (or what is in effect the rejected Stupak Amendment) to the newly unveiled pre-existing condition health insurance plans. This ban would prevent women with serious pre-existing medical conditions from getting the abortion coverage they need to protect their health—and will not even allow women the ability to pay for such coverage with their own private premium dollars.

Over 5,000 NWLC supporters took action and called on the Administration to reconsider the decision to exclude the abortion coverage ban in the pre-existing condition health insurance plans. The strong reaction from women's advocates brought great attention to the issue, with prominent articles in national newspapers.

Thank you for your incredible participation and making sure the Administration knows how important including abortion care coverage is in health care reform. We will soon be asking you to send in your comments on the regulation.

In the meantime, NWLC will continue to work to keep you informed about the latest on health care reform that meets the needs of women and their families. And we will continue to work hard to ensure that all women have access to comprehensive reproductive health that includes abortion care.

Stupak Amendment Lives

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

You are not having a moment of déjà vu. This is real. This is actually happening.

Tell the Administration to reconsider the harmful decision to undermine women’s reproductive health.

Earlier this year, women around the country stood up and spoke out against the Stupak Amendment, which would have prohibited women from obtaining coverage of abortion care, even with their own, private funds.

But recently, the Administration has indicated the intention to apply what is in effect the rejected Stupak Amendment to the newly unveiled pre-existing condition health insurance plans. This ban will prevent women with serious pre-existing medical conditions from getting the abortion coverage they need to protect their health — and will not even allow women the ability to pay for such coverage with their own private premium dollars.

Tell the Administration to reconsider this decision and stand up for the health of these vulnerable women.

Sex Discrimination Happens in Health Care - Has it Happened to You?

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

How could insurance companies get away with charging women more than men for the same health coverage? Before President Obama signed the new health care reform law, it was legal to discriminate against women in an insurance company office, a doctor’s office, hospital or other health care settings.

The new health care reform law ends those days immediately. One of our victories in the new health reform law includes a landmark provision that is the first ever federal prohibition on sex discrimination in health care.

But as policy makers write new rules to implement the law, we need your help to make policy makers understand the discrimination women have faced in health care settings — share your story with us today. 

The new provision in the health care reform law bans discrimination by federally funded or operated health programs, including insurance companies, on the basis of race, national origin, disability, age, or sex. Beyond being the first federal prohibition on sex discrimination in health care, the law is a more expansive ban against discrimination based on race, national origin, disability and age than had previously existed.

But policy makers need to understand the daily struggles women face — they need to hear about your discrimination experience at the hospital, in your doctor’s office, or in any other health care setting. Share your story today and help us make sure discrimination against women in health care ends once and for all. 

What The Pill Means To Me

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

The Mom speaks:

In May, 1988, my husband and I brought our daughter home from the adoption agency in Atlanta. She was four weeks old. We talked to her about her adoption even before she could understand the words. As she grew up, and we did our sex ed thing, she quickly grasped the possible consequences of an unplanned pregnancy. And I know she thought about it. When she became "of age" I introduced her to the pill. I was and remain so grateful that, because of the pill, she can control her own fertility...that she can decide for herself whether and when and under what circumstances, she will bear a child.

The daughter speaks:

I was the first of my friends to go on the pill, so I quickly became their teacher. When one of my friends couldn't access the pill because her parents would not let her, I took her to Planned Parenthood. Had my mom not educated me about my reproductive rights and resources, my friend might be in a different, difficult situation. Now that I have been on the pill for almost six years, I am so appreciative of my mom for providing me with the tools to control my own fertility, and not based on someone else's accord.

Being a Woman is No Longer a Pre-Existing Condition

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

Change.

It’s been used to inspire hope and describe a movement. Today, it is reality for millions of women in this country.

Being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition. 

This week, Congress passed the health care reform improvements legislation, completing a historic task that has eluded generations before. Together, we walked across the finish line of history — and we bring generations of young women with us.

It’s time to celebrate. This important victory will benefit women and their families. We can help you get the facts about the real changes for women’s lives that health care reform will bring.

Register today for our special webinar, What Health Care Reform Means for Women: A Webinar Information Session for Women Across the Country, taking place on Thursday, April 8 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. 

We’ll provide a summary of the key provisions impacting women and their families, and outline what to expect with the new law in effect.
 
Register today and submit your questions for the webinar. We will review all questions in advance, and prepare to provide the answers you are looking for.
 
Together, we have secured a historic victory that will truly change the lives of women and their families. Thank you for all you have done.

When It Comes to Your Birth Control: Don't Go to the Fish Pond Without a Net

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

There is an old proverb about being prepared in life: Don't go to the fish pond without a net.

Common sense, right?  But would you know what to do if the net breaks?

It’s that time of the year again. Check to make sure you’ve backed up your birth control. And forward our e-card to tell your friends to do the same!

Today is Back Up Your Birth Control Day—dedicated to helping women prevent unintended pregnancies by backing up their regular form of birth control with emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill.

Make sure you and your loved ones have emergency contraception in the medicine cabinet. And take a moment to get the facts about backing up your birth control. For example:

• Both men and women, if they’re 17 or older, can get emergency contraception from the pharmacy without a prescription.
• Emergency contraception prevents pregnancy, but it does not cause abortion. It’s effective for up to 72 hours — but it’s most effective in the first 12-24 hours.
• Anyone behind the counter — not just pharmacists — can sell emergency contraception.

Anything is possible in life. Shouldn't you be prepared?

Remember to back up your birth control — and forward our e-card to remind your friends to do the same.

We're All a Part of Health Care History Today

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

Today, on behalf of advocates of women’s health like you, I was invited to be part of President’s historic signing of a health care reform bill that will change the lives of millions of women and their families. 

This significant law — for which we all fought so hard — will finally stop insurance companies from treating women like a pre-existing condition. This is a law that will stop them from charging individual women higher premiums than men — simply because they are women. It is a law that ensures that no insurance company can reject a woman for coverage as a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault, or for ever having had a Caesarean section.  

And while we’re right to celebrate this historic achievement for all women and families, our work is not done. We need you to stand with us as the Senate takes up the improvements bill that will make the new health reform law even better. 

These improvements include increasing the premium subsidies to help families to obtain more affordable health coverage, closing the Medicare drug coverage donut hole to ensure that senior women don’t have to choose between a prescription drug and putting food on the table, and improving Medicaid reimbursements to primary care providers to ensure that those covered by Medicaid have true access to health care. 

But opponents of health reform are already up to their old tricks. They are already planning to offer cynical amendments to the Senate improvements bill in an effort to kill the bill. We’ve seen these tricks before, and as we’ve proved with our win — we can stand against them. 

Tell your Senators to vote no to any amendments on the improvement bill and pass the last part of health care reform. 

Without your enthusiastic support we wouldn’t have made it this far. Thank you for all that you do.

Did Your Members of Congress Stand Up for Women?

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

“It’s personal for women. After we pass this bill, being a woman will no longer be a pre-existing medical condition.” — Speaker Nancy Pelosi, March 21, 2010

Because many of you stood up for health care reform that works for women, on Sunday, the House of Representatives took a historic step toward ending insurance industry practices that discriminate against women every day.

But when push came to shove — did your Member of Congress stand with women and their families? Or did they stand with the health insurance companies?

Find out how your Member of Congress voted — and thank the Representatives who voted for quality, affordable health care and tell those who voted with the insurance industry that their constituents need more from them. 

The Time is Now: Women Can't Wait For Health Reform

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

They say the personal is political. And who knows that more than women?

When you have to choose between paying your rent and buying medicine for your family, while politicians try to stop legislation that would make health care more affordable and reliable — the personal is political.

It’s personal. And that’s why women must tell their Members of Congress to pass comprehensive health reform.

The comprehensive health reform plan will provide millions of women and families health coverage they never had before. It will end the insurance company practice of denying coverage to domestic violence survivors and to mothers who have had Caesarean sections under the guise that they have “pre-existing conditions.” And it will end discriminatory gender rating practices, in which insurers charge individual women more than men simply because they are women.

And when anti-choice politicians like Bart Stupak try to hijack getting quality, affordable health care that works for women — the political gets especially personal. So we will also not rest until the restrictions on abortion coverage are fixed.

Tell your Members of Congress — pass comprehensive, affordable health care for women and their families now.

And stay in the fight to make sure that all of women's needs, including abortion care, are met.

Thank you for your ongoing support for health care reform that works for women. We promised you we would push hard to fight for health care reform that works for women and their families, and we are on our way! Your support is critical for our continued success. 

Walking the Health Reform Walk

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

Our politicians have been talking the talk. But it’s been up to health care reform advocates around the country to walk the walk.

And though we’ve gotten closer than ever, every day that Congress delays action and health insurance companies continue to fight against health reform, it’s our moms, daughters, sisters — women and their families who pay the price.

Today we are in a virtual march on Washington, D.C., to tell Congress to pass health care reform that works for women and their families now.