Wisconsin women have much at stake in the debate over health care reform. The current American health care system has consistently failed to provide access to needed care for many girls and women. It has also created tremendous challenges for the women who coordinate health care for our families.
The Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health is a proud supporter of and is serving as the regional coordinator for the National Raising Women’s Voices Collaborative and a state partner of the National Women’s Law Center and is working to ensure women’s health care is represented in the health care reform debate in Wisconsin.
To stay up to date with health care reform implementation, be sure to follow our Raising Wisconsin Women’s Voices Blog. And check out this new “What’s Happening with the Affordable Care Act in Wisconsin?” piece.
Affordable Care Act 101: What the New Health Care Law Means for Wisconsin Women
WAWH is committed to helping women understand how the new health care law will impact them and their families. We’ve put together this “Affordable Care Act 101” resource to help explain the benefits of the new law.
On September 23, 2010, the following new changes in health care delivery went into effect that will help Wisconsin women and their families:
- Employees with family policies can opt for coverage of their adult children up to age 26 who are uninsured
- Insurance companies will be required to cover preventive services for all people such as cancer screenings, immunizations and colonoscopies
- Sick children cannot be turned down for coverage because of their condition
- There will no longer be lifetime limits on essential benefits, so people can now get the health care they need without worrying about when they’ll hit their “maximum” limit of coverage
- Insurance companies will no longer be able to use “failure to report past health history” as a reason to rescind coverage, except in cases of fraud
Exchange 101: What the New Health Care Exchanges Mean for Wisconsin Women
A critical component of health care reform, the Exchanges create more efficient and competitive marketplaces to purchase health care coverage. WAWH recognizes this as an important opportunity for advancing the health status of women and girls. As the primary coordinators of care for themselves and their families, Health Insurance Exchanges provide a gateway for women and families to purchase subsidized health insurance, a tool women now need more than ever.
Affordable Insurance Exchanges are designed to make buying health coverage easier and more affordable. Starting in 2014, Exchanges will allow individuals and small businesses to compare health plans, get answers to questions, find out if they are eligible for tax credits for private insurance or health programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and enroll in a health plan that meets their needs.
WAWH Principles for Building Wisconsin’s Health Insurance Exchange
Resources
HealthCare.Gov
Raising Women’s Voices
National Women’s Law Center Reform Matters
Roadblocks to Health Care: Why the Current Health Care System does not work for Women
Women’s Health & Health Care Reform Report
National Partnership Key Elements of Health Care Reform
Women’s Health Insurance Coverage Fact Sheet (KFF)
