Tag Archives: United States Department of Health and Human Services

Got maternity care?


 

National Women's Law Center
 
 
     
  All Women Need Maternity Care  
     
   
     
                  Tell the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that insurance companies provide maternity care for all women.  
     
     
     

Millions of young women get health insurance coverage through their parents’ plans — but even though their parents’ policies include maternity benefits, not all of these daughters have access to maternity coverage. This means many pregnant women are without the care they need, when they need it the most.
Your voice is needed. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is creating rules for insurance companies in the individual and small group markets under the new health care law. As part of this effort, they will take comments from the public about what services insurance companies must cover. Tell HHS to ensure insurance companies provide maternity coverage to women who get their health care coverage through their policy.
Maternity care leads to healthier moms and healthier babies. And health insurance coverage for these services provides financial security and peace of mind to women and their families. On average, a woman without maternity coverage will spend at least $10,000 on maternity care, a huge financial burden at the time when she’s bringing a child into the world.
We’ve made a lot of progress — but there’s still more to be done. Send in your comments and ensure that insurance companies are required to provide maternity coverage for all individuals.
The National Women’s Law Center shined a spotlight on the fact that when women buy health coverage directly from insurance companies, only twelve percent of those health plans cover maternity care. With your help, we’ll continue the important fight to ensure all women have maternity coverage when they need it.
Thank you for all you do to ensure women have access to quality, affordable health care.
Sincerely,

 
Judy Waxman   Judy Waxman Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights National Women’s Law Center

Celebrate Free Preventive Services!


 

AAUW Action Network
As of August 1, 2012, all new health plans must cover eight women’s preventive services, including birth control, without cost sharing. To celebrate, we’re hosting a virtual party on Facebook – and we want you to sign the guestbook!
Preventive services are critical to a woman’s health, and cost has remained a burden for far too long. With the Department of Health and Human Services regulations going into effect on August 1, the following services will now be available without copays:
  1. Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling;
  2. Screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence;
  3. Screening for gestational diabetes;
  4. DNA testing for high-risk strains of HPV;
  5. Counseling regarding sexually transmitted infections, including HIV;
  6. Screening for HIV;
  7. Contraceptive methods and counseling; and
  8. Well woman visits.
Take Action!
Tell us why you are celebrating these new requirements! You can share a personal story about the importance of preventive services, talk about why you are passionate about women’s health care, or write notes of congratulations to your fellow activists for getting the job done and passing health care reform legislation that includes these necessary services!
Each week of the party will have a different theme, so you can sign the guestbook as many times as you want. August starts on a Wednesday, so our themed weeks will also start on Wednesdays:
  • August 1-7: Contraception
  • August 8-14: Screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence
  • August 15-21: Maternal care (breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling)
  • August 22-28: Health education (screening for gestational diabetes; DNA testing for high-risk strains of HPV; counseling regarding sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; and screening for HIV)
  • August 29-31: Well woman visits
The celebration continues all month, but you don’t want to show up late to the party! Sign the guestbook today and share with your friends and family.
Learn more about what preventive services will be covered at Healthcare.gov, as well as the other benefits for women such as the end of higher premiums for pre-existing conditions.

Follow AAUW on Twitter, and read our award-winning AAUW Dialog Blog for discussion, information, and advocacy for women and girls!

 

All Women Need Access to Birth Control without Co-pays


National Women's Law Center - My Health Is Not Up for Debate: Protect Reproductive Health
 
 
     
  Your Voice is Crucial  
     
   
     
  Tell HHS all women deserve access to birth control without a co-pay!  
     
  Take Action  
     

Forty-seven years ago today, the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Griswold v. Connecticut established a right to use contraceptives without interference from the state. It’s hard to believe that nearly a half century later, politicians are still trying to erect barriers to women’s access to affordable birth control.

Tell the Department of Health and Human Services that all women, no matter where they work or go to school, need access to birth control without co-pays or burdensome obstacles.

Last summer, we secured a big victory when all FDA-approved contraceptives were added to the list of preventive health services that all new health insurance plans must cover without a co-pay or deductible. Unfortunately, 335,000 houses of worship received an exemption from the requirement, leaving their female employees without access to this critical benefit.

Now the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed an “accommodation” for other religiously affiliated organizations, which would shift the responsibility of providing contraceptive coverage without cost sharing to the insurance companies. HHS is asking for comments and we must make sure that any “accommodation” does not put additional hurdles in the path of women seeking contraception. Employees of religiously affiliated organizations must have access to contraception to the same extent as employees of other organizations and companies.

It’s critical that your voice be heard — submit your comments to HHS today and say that all women must be able to obtain contraceptive coverage without co-pays in the simplest way possible, no matter where they work or go to school.

It’s only by raising our voices together that we can protect women’s health. Thank you for all you do.

Sincerely,

 
Judy Waxman   Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law

Affordable Health Care Act – get the facts


Health Reform in Action | The White House

Health reform makes health care more affordable, holds insurers more accountable, expands coverage to all Americans and makes our health system sustainable.

www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform

New Data: The Affordable Care Act in Your State | The White House

The Obama Administration releases a new source of data, Health Reform: Results in Your State, to show how the Affordable Care Act’s benefits and …

www.whitehouse.gov/…/new-data-affordable-care-act-your-state

The Affordable Care Act | The White House

Health reform makes health care more affordable, holds insurers more accountable, expands coverage to all Americans and makes our health system sustainable.

www.whitehouse.gov/…/healthcare-overview

Affordable Care Act in Action: Fewer Uninsured Young Adults in …

A new report from the Census Bureau shows that the Affordable Care Act is working: There was a significant increase in the number of 18-24 year olds with health

www.whitehouse.gov/…/affordable-care-act-action-fewer-uninsured…

Obama Administration Asks Supreme Court to Hear Health Care

The Obama Administration wants to put legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act to rest and continue moving forward implementing the law to lower the cost of health

www.whitehouse.gov/…/obama-administration-asks-supreme-court-he…

Today’s Suspension of Payments and the Affordable Care Act | The …

Today, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the Department of Health and Human Services has suspended payments worth an estimated $2.3 million per month to …

www.whitehouse.gov/…/today-s-suspension-payments-and-affordable…

Lowering Health Care Cost Growth to Get More Value for Consumers …

… Insurance Exchanges, competitive private insurance marketplaces. But thanks to the Affordable Care Act, we’re keeping costs down and making health care more affordable.

www.whitehouse.gov/…/lowering-health-care-cost-growth-get-more-…

CBO Update Shows Lower Costs for the New Health Care Law | The …

Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office released updated cost estimates for some parts of the Affordable Care Act. In this update, CBO projects that net …

www.whitehouse.gov/…/cbo-update-shows-lower-costs-new-health-ca…

The Affordable Care Act Helps Women Stay Healthy | The White House

On Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) announced historic new guidelines that will allow women to access important preventive health services as …

www.whitehouse.gov/…/affordable-care-act-helps-women-stay-healt…

Patient Protection – Affordable Care Act Case – March 26 – 28, 2012 and the Supreme Court


March 26-28, 2012

The Court has granted review of cases challenging provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The orders, briefs, and other information are available at this link. The Chief Justice’s 2011 Year-End Report

The Clerk’s Office and was told that they will post audio files and transcripts on their website >>>  http://www.supremecourt.gov with morning session information being posted by 2pm that day and the Wednesday Session will be held from 1pmET – 2pm ET with audio & transcripts being available by 4pm ET

The C-SPAN cable network said it would play back the arguments on a broadcast channel and on radio as soon as they are available.

Listed below are live links to the orders, case filings, and other information pertaining to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act cases. Click on each item to access further information.

 
Orders
 
11-14-11 Grant Order
11-18-11 Amici Appointment Order
12-08-11 Briefing Schedule
02-21-12 Allocation of Oral Argument Time
   
   
Case Filings
 
11-117 Thomas More Law Center, et al., v. Barack H. Obama, President of the United States, et al.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari
Brief in Opposition
Reply Brief
 
11-393 National Federation of Independent Business, et al., , v. Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al.,
Petition for Writ of Certiorari
Appendix to Petition
Brief in Opposition
The American Bar Association has provided a link to the briefs at the merits stage of this case at this link.*
 
11-398 Department of Health and Human Services, et al., v. Florida, et al.
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari
Appendix to Petition
Brief of Private Respondents
Brief of State Respondents
Reply Brief
The American Bar Association has provided a link to the briefs at the merits stage of this case at this link* for the anti-injunction act and this link* for the minimum coverage provision.
 
11-400 Florida, et al., v. Department of Health and Human Services, et al.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari
Brief in Opposition
Reply Brief
The American Bar Association has provided a link to the briefs at the merits stage of this case at this link.*
 
11-420 Virginia, ex rel. Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II, Attorney General of Virginia v. Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Petition for Writ of Certiorari
Brief in Opposition
 
11-438 Liberty University, et al., v. Timothy F. Geithner , Secretary of the Treasury, et al.,
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari
Brief in Opposition
Reply Brief

The Court has granted review of cases challenging provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The orders, briefs, and other information are available at this link. The Chief Justice’s 2011 Year-End Report

I spoke to the Clerk’s Office and was told that they will post audio files and transcripts on http://www.supremecourt.gov  with morning session info being posted by 2pm that day and the Wednesday Session held from 1pmET – 2pm ET with audio&transcripts being available by 4pm ET

The C-SPAN cable network said it would play back the arguments on a broadcast channel and on radio as soon as they are available.