On the recordMarch 22, 2012
Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the landmark health care reform bill being signed into law by President Obama. Many of the important reforms under the new law benefit women, who for years have faced discriminatory practices by insurance companies and borne higher health care costs simply as a result of their gender. Because of the new law, women can no longer be denied coverage or charged more for such preexisting conditions as breast or cervical cancer, pregnancy, or, of all things, being a victim of domestic abuse. Women no longer have to share the cost of critical and potentially lifesaving preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies. These reforms for women not only make care more equitable, but they also help to reduce the cost of care by insuring that many diseases are detected early or prevented before their onset through vaccinations and regular screenings. While additional reforms will be implemented in stages, many advances, as a result of health care reform, are already making a difference in the lives of women across this country. ____________________
