GenderBiology.net

Health Insurance Reform

FACT SHEETS

Women's Health Policy Facts: Women's Health Insurance Coverage. [fact sheet].  October 2008.  Washington, D.C.: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. 

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PUBLICATIONS

Health Care and the 2008 Elections: Women's Health Policy. October 2008. Washington, D.C.: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. 

Many U.S. Women Short on Health Insurance.

National Report Card on Women’s Health: Women and Health Insurance.  From the National Women’s Law Center and Oregon Health & Science University

Roadblocks to Health Care: Why the Current Health Care System DOES NOT Work for WOMEN.
From Health Reform.gov

Women and Health Care: A National Profile: Key Findings from the Kaiser Women's Health Survey. July 2005. Washington, D.C.: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. 

Women and Health Coverage: The Affordability Gap.  By Elizabeth M. Patchias and Judy Waxman, National Women’s Law Center

Women's Health and Health Reform: The Economic Burden of Disease in Women.  [2009]. Washington, D.C.: Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University [made possible by the Women Donors Network and the Communications Consortium Media Center].  Podcast.   Press release.

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ORGANIZATIONS & INITIATIVES

The Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University.  Women's Health and Health Care Reform. 

Raising Women's Voices. 2009. Avery Institute for Social Change , the National Women’s Health Network, and the MergerWatch Project  of Community Catalyst .

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Kaiser Health News Examines Issue Of Gender Rating In Health Reform Debate

SOURCE:  Medical News Today

DATE:  October 29. 3009

EXCERPT: "Kaiser Health News recently examined how health care reform legislation may affect the insurance industry practice known as gender rating, in which insurers use gender as a factor in determining the cost of policies. The practice often results in women paying more than men for similar policies because they typically use more medical services, such as maternity and reproductive health care. Some advocacy groups argue that using gender as a basis to charge more for health insurance is discriminatory and are pushing for it to be made illegal under health reform, according to KHN."    more

RELATED LINK:

Gold, Jenny. Fight Erupts over Health Insurance Rates for Businesses with more Women. Kaiser Health News. TOPICS: Health Disparities, Health Reform, Insurance.  October 25, 2009.

Newsweek Examines Issue Of Gender Rating In Health Reform Debate

SOURCE:  Medical News Today

DATE:  October 21, 2009

EXCERPT:  "Newsweek's Sarah Kliff recently examined the health insurance industry practice known as gender rating and the issue's role in the health reform debate. Kliff reports that in the current individual insurance market, gender is among the many factors that health insurers "routinely use to predict a consumer's costs and thus the price of their premiums." While the insurance industry says the practice is "smart business," others call it "outright discrimination" that leaves many women unable to afford coverage, according to Kliff."  more

Women's Health Advocates Use Health Reform To Tackle Gender Biases In Coverage

SOURCE:  Medical News Today

DATE:  October 6, 2009

EXCERPT: "Women’s health organizations and advocates are drawing attention to several lesser-known provisions in health reform legislation that would improve insurance coverage and health care for women, USA Today reports."    more