According to an article by Wendy Pollack which was posted on The Shriver Brief, women will benefit from health care reform. Pollack pointed out that women are most likely to have the greatest contact with the health care system because they are the ones in charge of not only their health, but that of their families. She went on to say that almost half of low-income women are uninsured. But because of health care reform low-income women will have fewer costs associated with health care. The health care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 will make health care “more affordable, easier to obtain and provide more comprehensive services, ensuring women receive the care they need,” according to Pollack.
Beginning in January of 2014, 8.2 million people with an income that is at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level will be eligible for coverage with the expansion of the Medicaid program. In Illinois, 154,300 low-income women with no insurance will be able to have health care coverage with the Medicaid expansion. This coverage will include family planning and contraceptive services.
Low-income women will be benefited by something called health insurance exchanges. This means that women with incomes that go up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can get tax-credits that will lower costs and will help pay for health insurance coverage. Seven million uninsured women in the U.S. and 471,000 women in Illinois will derive benefits from health insurances exchanges and tax-credits.
Pollack went on to say that all women will benefit from provisions that require small business and individual health plans to have an “essential benefits package.” This package will cover maternity care, mental health services and prescription drug coverage.
Pollack definitely believes that women will reap rewards from the health care reform. She goes so far as to say that women from all socioeconomic levels have already started receiving benefits.
Heidi Robertson coauthored the article by Wendy Pollack.