More Good News for Women and Families
Today we got more good news showing the difference the health care law is making in people’s lives. A new report from the Commonwealth Fund found that 6.6 million young adults are getting health coverage on their parents’ plans. And according to new data from Gallup, the percentage of young adults who are uninsured continues to decline, indicating that the law is helping families across the country get better access to health care and more peace of mind.
These and other issues came up when I had the privilege to be part of a town hall meeting to discuss the very important topic of women’s health and how the health care law is making the system fair for women and their families across the country.
Joining me were: senior members of the Administration including Valerie Jarrett, Tina Tchen, and Cecilia Muñoz, fellow health experts from HHS including Mayra Alvarez and Caya Lewis, Judy Waxman from the National Women’s Law Center, and a few members of the media including Margarita Bertsos from REDBOOK and Kelly Wallace at iVillage.
During the conversation, we talked about how the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, does more to advance women’s health than any other piece of legislation in the last 50 years.
But what made that point clear were the real stories from women who know firsthand the difference the benefits of the law make. Many women in the room with us shared their personal stories.
Born with a rare congenital disease, Abby, a 20-year-old student at the University of Minnesota, shared with us her story that because of the Affordable Care Act, she is able to remain on her parents’ health plan until she turns 26. We heard from Robyn, who doesn’t have to worry about lifetime limits on her insurance coverage. And we also heard from Helen who benefits from the free preventive services offered under Medicare.
We talked about how the law is soon requiring insurance companies to cover anyone with pre-existing conditions, which means that women will get the care they need and won’t be charged more for it just because they’re women. And how community health centers, which are supported by the Affordable Care Act, provide critical care for families. We also discussed the fact that some women have skipped preventive care because of cost – which is why the Affordable Care Act ends copays for recommended preventive services.
Our town hall reiterated one thing: that for women, the law means peace of mind. Peace of mind that no matter their circumstance there will be a health system that works for them and cares about their needs. That’s what the law is all about.
Kathleen Sebelius is the Secretary of Health and Human Services
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