Taken from the January/February 2014 issue of the Women's Health Activist Newsletter.

Along with our excitement about Obamacare’s implementation, however, come some challenges. We are turning our attention to making sure women know about, and can take advantage of, health care reform’s benefits.

We know all too well that women may face difficulties affording health care. We know that women often have difficulty finding out what different insurance plans cover; and, we know women have had trouble getting plans that cover everything they need to keep their families healthy. And, with all the misinformation and scare tactics trying to dissuade people from signing up for coverage, it can be hard to know what’s real.

The health care reform law will help women with these challenges — coverage will bring the peace of mind that comes from knowing they won’t risk bankruptcy if someone in their family has a serious accident or becomes gravely ill. But, in order to get and stay covered, women have to know about their options and get enrolled.

So, the NWHN is proud to be a part of Women 4 Health Care, a new social media campaign created in a partnership between the Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need initiative (RWV) and the Ms. Foundation for Women.

Women 4 Health Care provides uninsured women with information about the coverage options available through the new health law and how to sign up. Our campaign has straightforward information to give women the tools they need to get affordable coverage, and colorful Facebook badges so they can help spread the word to others who might benefit from the information. By visiting the campaign’s Facebook page (https://m.facebook.com/Women4HealthCare) or following our Twitter feed (#women4healthcare), women can easily find and share key information with their friends and family, including:

• The new health plans cover the care women need, including birth control and pregnancy care, doctor visits, emergency care, hospital stays, mental health, and more.
• Financial aid is available to help women and their families afford private health insurance plans; some low-income individuals will be able to get free or very low-cost public insurance.
• Help is available for applying for coverage and choosing a plan from local non-profit “navigator” agencies, help lines, or websites.

Within the campaign’s first three weeks, more than 15,000 individuals “liked” our Facebook page. Be a part of Women 4 Health Care and help women get covered by sharing our Facebook badges and re-tweeting our messages. To help us reach even more women, please “like” the Women 4 Health Care and NWHN Facebook pages, and follow us on Twitter. Spread the word by sharing our Women 4 Health Care Facebook badges with the women in your life, and re-tweet our posts about the campaign. As always, you can visit the RWV website (www.raisingwomensvoices.net) for detailed resources, including a guide to help choose the best plan and links to each state’s marketplace.

Lillian Hewko, J.D., is a NWHN Program Coordinator and Law Students for Reproductive Justice Fellow.