Great strides for women insured through the Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA).
Up until last year, insurance companies could and sometimes did charge women different premiums than men for the same coverage. As of January 1, 2014, the ACA prohibits this gender discrimination.More and more women are taking advantage of the program and signing up for affordable private health insurance.
The ACA has increased coverage for millions of women and helped millions more remain healthy with improved access to preventive services such as mammograms, Pap smears, contraception, domestic violence screening, and other vital health services for no out-of-pocket cost. As revealed in a recent report report, over 48 million women have benefited from this expanded access to preventive care. And because these services are available without a co-pay, women no longer need to choose between the health care they need and essential expenses.
Today’s report also found that the ACA has been instrumental in providing maternity benefits. 8.7 million women who purchased coverage on the individual market have gained these crucial benefits. The ACA also requires plans to cover maternity-related preventive services, which help increase the likelihood of a healthy and safe delivery.
Today marks the last day of the Women’s Week of Action, celebrating the ACA’s accomplishments, and gearing up for the work we still have left ahead of us. The Affordable Care Act has provided millions of women peace of mind for themselves and their families. And although many women have gained coverage since last year’s Open Enrollment, there are still millions of women who have yet to sign up and gain access to these crucial services.