Dear Friends,
This month I’d like to update you on the state of women’s access to health care. As many of you know, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) instituted provisions for women’s health care and access to coverage that the current administration is seeking to restrict.
What did the Affordable Care Act do?
It made it illegal for women to be charged more than men for insurance, and mandated that maternity coverage and women’s wellness exams be essential benefits in all plans. It also made contraceptive coverage free. These were huge leaps forward for women’s access to affordable and necessary care.
What is the federal administration trying to change?
The Trump administration’s promotion of short-term insurance plans—which do not have to offer maternity care, women’s wellness exams or contraceptive coverage - could erode the scope of coverage for women. On November 15, 2018, the Administration issued final regulations expanding the type of employers that may be exempt from the ACA’s contraceptive coverage requirements to include any private employer with a religious or moral objection to contraception. Luckily, in January 2019 federal judges in California and Pennsylvania issued injunctions halting implementation of these regulations nationwide, for now.
What is happening at the state level?
With the gridlock in Congress expected to continue until at least 2020, it is unlikely that any major new laws will be passed at the federal level. Instead, states will be important laboratories for change. This is where you want to direct your energy if you would like to see any changes happen.
Some states are making great strides in women’s health care. For example, in Oregon, you can buy birth control without going to the doctor, by simply consulting with a pharmacist. Oregon, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Vermont, and Virginia also allow patients to receive a 12-month supply of birth control at one time. That’s huge, because gaps in birth-control access can lead to unplanned pregnancies.
California, Washington, and most recently New York are among several states that have legalized abortion at the state level, thus protecting women’s access should Roe v Wade be overturned. In January 2019, New York passed the Reproductive Health Act, which brings New York State’s abortion law in line with Roe v. Wade and protects providers who perform abortions. Oregon passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) in 2017; it requires insurers to cover abortion, some postpartum care, and all reproductive health services. And California passed the most pro-choice measures of any state in 2016, according to NARAL Pro-Choice America’s annual state-by-state report on abortion rights.
New York also recently passed the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act, which requires broad coverage of and timely access to all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices, and products, including over-the-counter emergency contraception and voluntary sterilization, without cost to the patient. The legislation also allows for the dispensing of 12 months of contraception after an initial three-month allotment.
How can I become involved?
There are several organizations that focus on women’s health care and access to coverage, including Raising Women’s Voices and the National Women’s Law Center. Of course, the most important people to talk to are your representatives, particularly your state legislators. You can find information on who your state representatives are here.
Women will continue to have much at stake in the outcomes of the ongoing health care debates in Washington DC and in state capitols across the nation—I urge you to be a voice in the conversation.
Yours in good health,
Renata Marinaro
Do you work in performing arts and entertainment and have questions about health insurance? The Actors Fund provides assistance nationally. Contact our regional office closest to you to speak to a counselor.
New York City
917.281.5975
Los Angeles
855.491.3357
Don’t forget to use the resources section of our website. It contains tools to help you make decisions about your health insurance, including new online tutorials on how to choose providers and how to read an Explanation of Benefits. In addition, you’ll find an updated Stage Managers National Health Directory, our national online directory of health care providers recommended by industry professionals that can be used by theaters and touring companies. For these resources and more, visit actorsfund.org/HealthServices. You can also find out more about enrollment assistance and upcoming health insurance seminars near you!