Action Alert: Don’t Let Women Fall Through the Cracks in the Health Care Debate

Posted on June 4, 2017 by siansc

Action Alert: Don’t let women fall through the cracks in the health care debate

Issue: While we are all concerned about health care in the wider scheme of things, women are particularly at risk. We have seen what the House Bill would mean for women’s health, and how Trump is also using executive orders to undermine health care access for women. The senate is working on their version of a new Health Care plan, in secret, with a committee that does not include women. If the senate plan is anything like the one passed in the house, women’s health issues will be virtually ignored.

Actions:

1) Call Senators Graham and Scott and tell them that we will be holding them accountable if the Senate plan does not maintain protections for women’s health coverage, especially free contraception.

Senator Lindsey Graham:
email (website):  https://www.lgraham.senate.gov
Washington, DC office:  202-224-5972
Mt. Pleasant office:  843-849-3887

Senator Tim Scott:
email (website) https://www.scott.senate.gov
Washington, DC office: 202-224-6162, Toll Free: 855-425-6324
North Charleston office: 843-727-4525

When calling or leaving messages, please identify yourself as a member of SIAN. On voicemail, be sure to leave your full name and address to ensure your call is logged.

2) Click this link to Tell Trump to take his hands OFF of women’s rights and leave the ACA’s contraception benefit as it is.

Talking Points/Background:

Allowing state waivers that will let insurers charge more or deny coverage for preexisting conditions will disproportionately disadvantage women.

Sexual assault, domestic violence, postpartum depression, pregnancy, and Caesarean sections are some of the preexisting conditions that could be covered in waivers.
The percentage of American women who could be affected by this change is significant. About 32% of mothers have had a C-section. One in six women are victims of sexual assault, while 30% have experienced some form of domestic abuse.

Eliminating Essential Health Benefits will undermine affordable coverage for fundamental services for women and their families.

Among these are maternity and newborn care; preventive care, which includes mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, birth control; and access to free or low-cost breast pumps.
Soon-to-be mothers, especially those who are lower-income, could end up paying significant sums for maternity coverage—or for child delivery-related costs if they opt to go without, according to Alina Salganicoff, a health policy analyst at the Kaiser Foundation.
F those who do seek maternity care under the GOP’s current plan, it could mean paying up to $17,000 in surcharges, according to the Center for American Progress.

Pulling funding from Planned Parenthood sends a message that you don’t care about women’s health, particularly those women who are most vulnerable.

Planned Parenthood is a key provider of health services like birth control and sexually transmitted infection screenings for an estimated 390,000 low-income women who reply on public-assistance for health care.