Women’s Health in 2015: Why Your Voice Matters! Health Action 2015 Planned Parenthood’s Colorado and National Lessons

The Opportunity: The Affordable Care Act "Being a woman will no longer be considered a pre-existing condition“ - Nancy Pelosi “The Affordable Care Act is one of the greatest advancements for women’s health in a generation.” - Cecile Richards Footer Text 11/14/2018

Colorado: The ACA Opportunity Colorado ACA Women’s Health Coalition Focus: Policy Led by the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (NWLC grant) Membership: Consumer health groups, women’s organizations, reproductive rights organizations Purpose: Resource sharing, messaging, public education, advocacy organizing Specific Outcomes: Preventive Care Insurance Requirements Social Media Countdown Fact sheets for women about the ACA Messaging to generally appeal to women about the ACA Working with insurers around preventive health Responding to Colorado legislation to allow employers to deny coverage for contraception Working with CO’s Division of Insurance for rulemaking around EOBs Talk about traditional repro health groups

CO: ACA Enrollment PPRM has worked with multiple coalitions focused on open enrollment Latino groups Progressive Roundtable Colorado Consumer Health Initiative Outcomes Large and small scale enrollment events Health navigator from Latino serving organization in PPRM Health Center Coordinated outreach around key issues and dates to PPRM list Implementation of PPRM’s own ACA Plan Information for patients and supporters Community canvasses to targeted low-income communities. We knocked on 62,000 doors, enrolled 2,400 and grew PPRM’s supporter list by 8,000.

National: The ACA Opportunity Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) has implemented a national ACA plan Focus: Policy and enrollment National Partners: Enroll America Purpose: To enroll people into new coverage nationwide, targeting Latinos in NM, CO, TX, OH and FL Outcomes: Providing tools to all PP affiliates about enrollment (www.plannedparenthoodhealthinsurancefacts.org) Community canvasses in targeted low income communities (total of 715,000 doors). Partially credited with spike in enrollment for Latinos. Participated or hosted dozens of events (often women’s health and consumer health partnerships)

Lessons ACA provided one opportunity to create stronger and new coalitions. More need for women’s health groups and consumer health groups to work together as ACA changes the landscape (i.e. watchdogging implementation and helping those still left out!) Working together has positive results. Helps us to be creative, align goals, make better policy, share messaging, and help more people. Working together helps understand intersectionality and differences - and bridge them. (birth control, abortion stigma, sex education, etc.)

Ashley Wheeland ashley. wheeland@pprm Ashley Wheeland ashley.wheeland@pprm.org Legislative and Political Director Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains