Women Striding Forward The incredible, true story of what the Affordable Care Act is doing for women and families

It’s about health care! Cancer screenings Maternity care Contraceptive coverage No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions No gender discrimination in the price of policies

Too many women cannot afford the health care we need! In 2010, 45 million women across the United States reported that because of the cost, they: – Did not fill a prescription; – Skipped a recommended test, treatment or follow-up; – Did not go to the doctor when they had a medical problem or – Did not see a specialist when it was needed. Commonwealth Fund, May 2011

Women losing coverage in a tough economy “I am a 40-year-old survivor of breast cancer. I lost my coverage. I’ve lived in this country and worked all my life. Why don’t I have health insurance when I need it?”

The ACA will help no matter what your age or income Help for women and families who are uninsured and can’t afford health care. Help for women and families who have insurance that doesn’t cover what they need, or is too expensive to use. Coverage for women’s health needs across our lifespans.

Prevention first! All new insurance plans are required to cover key preventive services, without charging us co-pays or deductibles. Some have started already: mammograms Pap smears anemia & hepatitis B screening for pregnant women blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol testing counseling about quitting smoking, losing weight, choosing healthy foods, treating depression, reducing alcohol use

New women’s preventive services covered as soon as August 1 comprehensive contraceptive care! an annual well-woman care exam screening for sexually-transmitted diseases breastfeeding counseling and equipment screening for gestational diabetes screening and counseling for intimate partner violence

Keeping our kids healthy Well-baby visits Immunizations Screenings for autism, lead exposure Vision and hearing tests Obesity screening Drug, alcohol use assessments for adolescents

Protection from unfair insurance company practices Insurers cannot cancel your policy if you get sick or make a mistake in your insurance application. Insurers cannot set lifetime dollar limits on the amount of medical care they will cover. (No annual limits in 2014)

No coverage denials for kids with pre-existing conditions Nurse Abby Drucker’s grand-niece was born with hearing loss. The family’s health insurer denied coverage for treatment, calling it a “pre-existing condition.” That is now against the law.

Ensuring more of your health premium dollars go to medical care Insurance companies now have to give rebates to consumers if they don’t spend at least 80 percent of the premium dollars they collect on actually providing medical care. They will be forced to spend less on CEO salaries, marketing and overhead. They have to make this information public, so you can make better insurance choices.

Peace of mind for moms! Our young adult children can stay on family health policies until their 26 th birthdays. Young adult does not have to live at home, be unmarried or be a dependent for tax purposes. Important for young women in prime reproductive years.

Looking ahead to 2014 No charging women more than men for the same policy (“gender rating”) No denials of coverage for adults with pre-existing conditions. Maternity care must be covered.

Covering millions more Americans New state insurance “exchanges” are due to open in January Uninsured moderate-income individuals and families can shop for private insurance made more affordable by federal subsidies. More low-income people will be eligible for Medicaid coverage.

The ACA: Good for women and our families! Tell someone you know about what women and our families are getting from the ACA. Host an educational session in your neighborhood, your church or community center. Distribute Countdown to Coverage fact sheets in your community.

Tell women’s stories

Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need Tel: