Health reform that treats women fairly

Tell the Senate what you want, TODAY
After many months of delay, the Senate Finance Committee is finally working on its version of a health reform bill. The National Women’s Health Network urges you to contact your Senators today and tell them you support health reform that makes insurance affordable to women and families, that makes insurance companies treat women fairly, and that keeps politics and politicians out of decisions about the health services that insurance plans will cover.

• Keep politics and politicians out of decisions about the health services that insurance plans will cover. Reproductive health services are basic health care for women and should not be singled out for politically motivated exclusions. The NWHN urges Finance Committee members to follow the lead of their colleagues on the Senate HELP Committee by passing legislation that puts the decisions about which services will be covered by insurance in the hands of medical experts and consumers who will make their decisions based on medical standards of care and scientific/medical evidence, not politics.
• Make health insurance affordable for women and families. In its current form, the Senate Finance Committee bill falls short of making health insurance affordable for low- and moderate-income people. The NWHN is pressing for lower limits on the health expenses that individuals and families have to pay and more generous subsidies to people who can’t afford to comply with the new insurance mandate.
• Treat older women fairly. Insurance companies generally charge older people more than they charge younger people – this practice is known as age rating. Women, who live longer on average than men, are more likely to bear the costs of age rating. Health reform that imposes more stringent restrictions on age rating, like the House bill which allows companies to charge only a 2:1 ratio, offers women more fairness and more affordable coverage.
• Ensure that all residents receive equal access to health coverage. Health reform should give legal immigrants access to affordable coverage in the same way it does for U.S. citizens. Legal immigrants should have access to tax credits through the exchange, should be eligible for Medicaid without a waiting period and should not be subject to excessive verification requirements. In addition, NWHN opposes efforts to bar people, regardless of immigration status, from using their own funds to buy health insurance through the exchange.
• Give women a range of insurance choices, including a strong public option that can lower costs and make insurance companies accountable. A robust public health insurance option would effectively compete with private insurers, giving people meaningful choice in their insurance purchasing decisions, helping to control costs and bringing greater accountability to the insurance industry.

Act TODAY to tell your senators you want their leadership in establishing quality, affordable health care for all women. If your senators serve on the Finance Committee (click here for a list of Committee members), contact them immediately and tell them you want the Committee to produce a bill that meets these standards. If your senators are not on the Finance Committee, contact them anyway and ask them to call their colleagues on the Committee and encourage them to produce a bill that meets these standards.
Please send a copy of your emails to us at nwhn@nwhn.org so we know how many of you have delivered the message that it’s time for quality, affordable health care that meets women's needs!
Remember to act quickly - now is the time to let the Senate know what women need.