Because women are typically the primary coordinators of care for their entire family, the benefits they receive from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also improve the lives of their kids. Already, more than 20 million women and their kids have stayed healthy through better access to free preventive services like well-child visits, new baby care, pap smears, mammograms, and birth control.
A report from the National Women’s Law Center has documented the discrimination against women in the private insurance market. It notes that 87% of individual insurance plans available to 30-year-old women across the country do not provide maternity coverage. Though a handful of states have remedied this with “benefit mandate” laws, Wisconsin does not have such a protection for expectant mothers. However, in 2014, the essential health benefits under the ACA will ensure that all new health plans sold to individuals and small businesses will cover maternity and newborn care. These critical prenatal and postnatal services directly impact the health of children.
Our friends at the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health are showcasing how “Wisconsin Women Win with the ACA” through a webinar at noon today and a statewide tour to educate and celebrate the benefits of the ACA for women. Join them!
Sara Eskrich
