REP. ROYBAL-ALLARD PRAISES HEALTH CARE REFORM FOR WOMEN, PUSHES FOR CONTINUED FOCUS ON MATERNAL CARE
Washington, D.C.,
Mar 20 -
Washington, DC—Today, Representative Roybal-Allard praised new data released by the Department of Health and Human Services showing that the Affordable Care Act has resulted in 45 million women now having access to recommended preventative services with no co-payments—including 20 million women with private health insurance and 25 million women with Medicare. In addition to giving women access to preventative services free of charge, the law also bans insurance companies from denying women coverage when they become pregnant, or from classifying women as having a “pre-existing condition” if they have suffered domestic violence or sexual assault in the past.
“In two years the Affordable Care Act has already done so much for women’s health, and now we look forward to 2014 when the millions of women who are currently uninsured will be able to compare and choose between a variety of affordable plans through the new Health Insurance Exchanges,” said Representative Roybal-Allard.
A longtime champion of women’s health, Representative Roybal-Allard introduced H.R. 2141, the Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services (MOMS) for the 21st Century Act this past June. The MOMS Act creates a national focus on maternity care by establishing an Interagency Coordinating Committee charged with promoting medical practices proven to provide the healthiest results for mothers and babies. Currently, the United States spends significantly more on childbirth than any other industrialized country, but ranks far behind almost all developed countries in healthy child birth results for both mothers and babies.
“The MOMS for the 21st Century Act makes overdue reforms to our nation’s maternity care system to better ensure providers and mothers have the best information available when making serious maternity care decisions,” said Representative Roybal-Allard. “The Affordable Care Act has made great strides for improving women’s health, and the MOMS for the 21st Century Act builds on this great work,” Roybal-Allard added.
This Friday, March 23, marks the two year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
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