The
Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (ACA) expands women's access to health insurance and adds several
reforms to the existing health-care system that are specifically beneficial to
women.
Access
to care and affordability are important issues for women. According to the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, because almost twice as many women
than men who receive employer-provided health insurance are covered as
dependents, they are susceptible to losing that coverage should they become widowed,
divorced, or if their husbands lose their jobs.
In
addition, the cost of coverage may significantly impact women. Women earn less
than men, on average, and are more likely to be out of the workforce to care
for children, parents, or other dependents. Because of this trend, out-of-pocket
costs such as co-pays, deductibles, and premiums can pose
a particular threat to women's access to affordable care.
The
ACA provides for the creation of state-level health insurance exchanges,
available to small businesses and uninsured individuals that will serve as a marketplace
of private and public health plans. Individuals and families purchasing
insurance through insurance exchanges may be eligible for subsidies or tax credits
(based on income) that can be applied towards the cost of insurance.
According
to the U.S. Census Bureau, 20% of women between the ages of 18 and 64, or about
19 million women, are uninsured. Of those, it is estimated that 36% will be
eligible for tax credits and subsidies. ACA specifies essential health benefits
for women that must be offered by non-grandfathered plans. These benefits
include maternity and newborn care, including prenatal visits and pediatric
services. Several preventive services must be offered without co-payments or deductibles,
including mammography exams; Pap tests; colonoscopies; type 2 diabetes screening;
obesity screening; several immunizations including hepatitis, influenza, and
HPV; and alcohol and tobacco counseling. Specific coverage benefits will
continue to be shaped by U.S. Health and Human Services regulations.
