Advocacy
Health Reform and You
Although the health care legislation President Obama signed into law (the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act) fell short of what NCWO and many of its affiliates were advocating for, it does provide many positive changes for American women. Below is a selection of postings from NCWO affiliates on the new law:
What Does the New Health Care Reform Bill Mean for Me? (HealthyWomen)
What Health Care Reform Means for Women (National Women's Law Center). Make sure you also check out their State-by-State Fact Sheets: What Health Care Reform Means for Women also on that page.
What Does Health Care Reform Mean for You? (Planned Parenthood)
The White House website features a piece on the new law (as it relates to women) Eliminating Obstacles to the Care Women Need, as well as a video focusing on the preventive aspects of the law (it features The First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden). The newly-launched HealthCare.gov site provides information about the new rule for prevention as well as what services will be included. It also lets you compare hospital data and shows you a comprehensive list of the insurance options available to you, your family, or your small business.
Additionally, you might want to check out Raising Women's Voices, which is a national initiative working to make sure women's voices are heard in the health reform debate and women's concerns are addressed by policymakers developing national and state health reform plans. It includes a number of NCWO member organizations.
The site is currently urging viewers to tell Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius to make sure comprehensive contraceptive care is included in the list of preventive services for which there will be no co-pays or deductibles. To take action, click here (See: Current Action).
Breastfeeding Provision of Law Gets Little Publicity
Thanks to Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D., NY) employers of 50 or more employees are required to: ...provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to do so. The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk. An employer shall not be required to compensate an employee for any work time spent for such purpose.
The provision's limitations, however, includes rights only up to one year and it lacks enforcement.
For more information on this provision, check out this entry on the National Women's Law Center's Blog.