Articles by:
Laura Kaplan
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Rx for Change: Jane’s History Resonates
By: Laura Kaplan Abortion, Abortion Access, Jane, Rx for Change, The Women's Health Activist Newsletter Deep Dive ArticlesOver 40 years after Jane folded when abortion was legalized, its echoes continue to reverberate. But the right to an abortion has never stopped being under attack.
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Rx for Change: Medicare 101
By: Laura Kaplan Medicare, Rx for Change, The Women's Health Activist Newsletter Deep Dive ArticlesTaken from the July/August 2016 issue of The Women’s Health Activist Newsletter. For months I’ve been training as a Medicare counselor with my State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Too often, when I’m answering questions about Medicare, an iron gate seems to drop over people’s eyes. So, I thought I’d give you a simple explanation…
Rx for Change: Abortion Disconnect
By: Laura Kaplan Abortion, Pro Choice, Rx for Change, The Women's Health Activist Newsletter Deep Dive ArticlesWhenever I hear a pro-choice politician say, “No one is pro-abortion,” I want to shout, “Excuse me but I’m pro-abortion, and I am not alone.” I’m pro-abortion in the same way I’m pro-organ transplant or any other medical procedure: when you need one, you should be able to get one.
Rx for Change: Bending the Old Saw
By: Laura Kaplan Rx for Change, The Women's Health Activist Newsletter Deep Dive ArticlesThere’s an old saw that says: The right cares only about individuals and not about people in the aggregate, while the left cares only about people in the aggregate and not about individuals.
Rx for Change: Singing the Part D Medicare Blues
By: Laura Kaplan Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medicare, Older Women, Rx for Change, The Women's Health Activist Newsletter Deep Dive ArticlesOne of the few things I looked forward to when I approached 65 was becoming Medicare eligible. Before becoming eligible for Medicare, I found a high deductible plan that I could afford as a self-employed person. Since I’m a really healthy person, it worked fine until I broke my ankle and needed surgery and a hospitalization.
Rx for Change: Language Matters, Especially When Talking About Root Causes
By: Laura Kaplan FDA Advocacy, Rx for Change, The Women's Health Activist Newsletter, Women's Movement Deep Dive ArticlesFor my 67th birthday this year, my dear friend Peaches — with whom I shared those heady years in Jane, the underground, feminist abortion service — sent me a card. On the front was a picture of an elderly woman (much older than me) carrying a placard that said, “I Cannot Believe I Still Have To Protest This Shit.” Amen, sister, I thought as I read it and laughed.
Sleep Talking
By: Laura Kaplan Insomnia, Older Women, Over-The-Counter, Sleep, Sleep Problems, Sleep Talking, The Women's Health Activist Newsletter Deep Dive ArticlesFor people over age 60, insomnia is the most common medical problem and can lead to poor quality of life, accidents, falls, and illness. Sleep problems are reported more commonly in women than in men.
About the Author
Laura Kaplan
Laura Kaplan authored The Story of Jane, and is an activist for women’s health, reproductive justice, and domestic violence. She served on the NWHN’s Board of Directors for 8 years and co-founded Woodstock Immigrant Support. Now retired, Laura continues her activism through volunteering.