Womenstake

New Mexico Bans Gender Rating

by Kelli Garcia, Fellow,
National Women's Law Center

On Tuesday, March 9th, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed SB 148 into law, making New Mexico the 12th state to ban gender rating in the individual market and the 14th state to ban gender rating in the small group market. Because of gender rating, or the practice of considering gender when determining insurance rates, women are typically charged more than men for the same insurance.

The National Women’s Law Center’s reports, Nowhere to Turn and Still Nowhere to Turn, were instrumental in highlighting the cost disparities that existed for women in New Mexico. The reports, which examined insurance prices in state capitals, found that all ten of the best-selling plans in Santa Fe’s individual market practiced gender rating. Importantly, none of those plans included maternity coverage, so maternity related costs can’t be the cause of the higher premiums.

SB 148 will end this discriminatory practice and makes important strides in creating a more equitable health insurance market in New Mexico. It will protect the more than 37,000 New Mexican women who already have individual market coverage from gender discrimination and will make coverage more affordable for the nearly 180,000 women in New Mexico who do not have health insurance. Congratulations, New Mexico!

President Obama’s Bipartisan Health Care Summit: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

by Julia Kaye, Brigette Courtot, and Kelli Garcia,
National Women's Law Center

A colleague of ours equated yesterday’s Bipartisan Health Care Summit to a Superbowl for the CSPAN crowd. The event featured an all-star lineup from the White House, HHS, and Congress — though notably, only a paltry four female members of Congress were among the 33 Congressional attendees — with each team in strategic formation on either side of the (not-entirely-objective) referee. 

While we can’t speak for the rest of the American people, we were certainly riveted (CNN covering a debate about actuarial values? Be still our hearts!). But for those of you who: a) couldn’t justify watching TV for an entire workday to your boss; or b) couldn’t be paid enough to watch politicians debate health policy for 7 hours, here’s a roundup of the good, the bad, and the ugly:

What Women Should Be Listening For at the Bipartisan Health Reform Summit

by Lisa Codispoti, Senior Counsel, 
and Brigette Courtot, Policy Analyst, 
National Women's Law Center

On Monday, President Obama released his health reform plan in advance of Thursday’s bipartisan health reform summit. The President’s plan bridges some of the differences between the Senate and House health reform bills, but largely builds from the Senate bill (see NWLC's comparison of key provisions of the House and Senate bills). Now we wait to hear from Republicans what concrete proposals they will offer to address our nation’s health care crisis (although many of their proposals have been included in the President’s proposal). But what does all this mean for women and access to comprehensive, affordable, quality health care? 

At the start of this debate some time ago, the National Women’s Law Center issued “8 Questions to Ask About Health Reform Plans” to guide advocates in analyzing whether health reform proposals meet the needs of women. Below, we’ve used these questions to analyze President Obama’s proposal, and will do the same for the Republican proposal once they release it. These questions can be a helpful guide for women’s advocates as they watch the Summit (you can watch it live Thursday at 10am) -– to decide for themselves if different health reform proposals will truly provide access to affordable, high quality, comprehensive health care. 

Whatever the outcome of the Summit, make no mistake: Congress must move forward to quickly adopt comprehensive health care reform. Women and their families can no longer wait. 

Who I Am Marching For: The Homeless

by Jenifer Rajkumar, Fellow,
National Women's Law Center

This week, hundreds of people marched 135 miles from Philadelphia to Washington, DC in support of health care reform. The march was named “Melanie’s March” in honor of Melanie Shouse, who passed away from breast cancer when her insurance company denied her critical treatment prescribed by her doctor, and whose dying wish was that we pass health care reform.  Melanie’s Marchers will arrive in DC today. They will be greeted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as well as other key members of Congress and health care advocates, who are all gearing up for President Obama’s Health Care Summit tomorrow which will (hopefully) revitalize the health care reform legislation and push it over the top.

As Melanie’s marchers descend upon DC, I would like to describe what I am marching for today. I am marching for the homeless. There is a 50 year old homeless man on the block where I live. I pass him every day on my way to and from work. He used to be a vendor who sold newspapers on the street.  He made about $11,000 a year. When his health recently failed, he switched to simply holding out a change cup and asking passerbys for money. 

As I March for Health Care Reform, I March for Johanna

by Grace Lesser, Program Assistant,
National Women's Law Center

Almost two years ago, my friend and former fellow student was killed on our college campus. A tireless advocate for women’s rights, she had planned to spend the following summer working at a women’s health policy institute in Washington, D.C. and had intended to spend her life committed to women’s health and reproductive rights. She may even have ended up working here at the National Women’s Law Center, marching with us today for equal access to health care and reproductive health services.

Unfortunately, she will not make it here. She will not continue to offer her arm of support to women walking into abortion clinics; she will not continue to inspire others with her critical perspective on feminism. She will not go on to disrupt our current health care system and fight against the discriminatory practices with which we are faced each day. But even so, and even though Johanna lost her life far too early, she will not be forgotten. Her steadfast commitment to women's health will serve as an inspiration to many. Her energy and her conscientious dedication, her strong opinions – these are the qualities that I will remember as I take part in this fight for comprehensive health care and reproductive rights. Today, I march with the legacy of Johanna and in honor of the enormous impact she would have made on behalf of women. Today, I march for Johanna.

Wake Up, Health Care: Small Businesses are People, Too

by Katie Poor, Intern,
National Women's Law Center

As a child, I always thought that my grandmother’s carpet store was a magical place. Rolls upon rolls of uncut carpet piled the warehouse, and my sister and I enjoyed nothing more than scaling her mountains of inventory. Now the carpet store has lost its magic. The huge mountains of carpet are less appealing not only because, at the age of twenty-four, I’ve found other ways to occupy my time, but also because the enormous stocks of inventory have become a burden upon my grandmother and a constant reminder of what her customers aren’t buying.

My grandmother’s business, like so many other small businesses across the country, is suffering. Firings and demotions have become more constant than sales, and the threat of losing the store is ever-present. Exacerbating her stress is the worry of how to pay for health insurance for herself and her employees.

Marching for my Sister

by Kelli Garcia, Fellow,
National Women's Law Center

I am marching for my sister who died in 1991. She had Lupus, an autoimmune disease, which caused a variety of health problems. Diagnosed as a child, she spent much of her life in and out of hospitals and taking handfuls of expensive medications. My family only had “major medical” insurance, which covered a percentage of hospitalizations but nothing else – none of her numerous prescription drugs or doctor’s visits were covered. And once she was diagnosed, she became uninsurable on any other plan. This affected our whole family, making it impossible for my parents to save money for retirement or anything else. We were always one illness away from financial disaster.

When my sister married, she was no longer eligible for the inadequate insurance she had. Her husband dropped out of college and joined the military, in part, because it provided health benefits. In the summer of 1991, my sister contracted a strep infection in her arm that ultimately led to her death. I am thankful that she was able to receive adequate care during that final illness, and that my brother-in-law was not burdened by mountains of debt after her death. We should live in society, though, where no one would have to join the military just to get health benefits. I am marching for my sister because we all deserve affordable health care now.

Walking the Health Reform Walk

by Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights, 
National Women's Law Center

Our politicians have been talking the talk. But it’s been up to health care reform advocates around the country to walk the walk.

And though we’ve gotten closer than ever, every day that Congress delays action and health insurance companies continue to fight against health reform, it’s our moms, daughters, sisters — women and their families who pay the price.

Today we are in a virtual march on Washington, D.C., to tell Congress to pass health care reform that works for women and their families now.

What's Your Diagnosis for Congress?

by Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights, 
National Women's Law Center

While millions of women struggle each day knowing that they may be one illness away from losing their home or one doctor’s appointment away from being able to feed their family — opponents of health care reform are choosing to stand with health insurance companies.

How sick is that?

Opponents of health reform in Congress are having one bad case of inaction. Write your Members of Congress a prescription today to get health care reform that works for women and families now. 

Your voice in the fight for health care reform will join thousands of advocates around the country taking to the streets to show their Members of Congress that they are tired of the political games. Learn more about the activities our partners at Health Care for America Now (HCAN) are organizing around the country.

Opponents of health care reform seem to think delaying reform is a game. But we know better — inaction is an illness that threatens the lives of women and their families. Join advocates around the country in demanding health care reform that works for women and their families now. 

Want to do more? Today health care reform advocates will begin marching from Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C., in memory of Melanie Shouse. Melanie, a tireless health care reform advocate, recently lost her battle with breast cancer after missing out on critical treatment because she could not find affordable health insurance. Take part in an event on the march route.

Bravo, New Mexico! Way to Go, Colorado! Let’s Keep Up the Fight Against Discrimination in Health Insurance

by Brigette Courtot, Policy Analyst, 
National Women's Law Center 

This week, as Congress continued its work to finish national health reform, the state of New Mexico moved forward on its own to protect residents from discrimination in health insurance. The state Senate recently passed SB 148, a bill that prohibits health insurance companies from considering gender when determining how much to charge for coverage (as a result of “gender rating”, women are usually charged more than men for the exact same health insurance). SB 148, which would eliminate gender rating in both the individual and small group markets, will now be taken up by the state House of Representatives.  If you’re a women’s health advocate in New Mexico, now is the time to contact your state representative about supporting this important bill.

Neighboring state Colorado also made progress in the fight against discriminatory health insurance practices — last week the Health and Human Services Committee of the state’s House of Representatives voted in favor of HB 10-1008, which would prohibit gender rating in Colorado’s individual health insurance market (the state already bans gender rating for small groups). The next step for HB 10-1008 is consideration by the full House, which is scheduled for next week. If you’re a woman’s health advocate in Colorado, this is also a good time to contact legislators in your state about supporting an end to unfair insurance rules and gender discrimination in health insurance.