Updated March 13, 2010
Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Sen. Charles Schumer, Chair and Vice-Chair (respectively) of the Joint Economic Committee, assembled a press conference on Wednesday to introduce a report on the estimated impact of the Healthy Families Act (S. 1152 and H.R.2460). The data find that with the new legislation, 30.3 additional million employees of all genders, races and pay scales would have paid sick leave available to them. In her remarks Rep. Maloney stated, "It's wrong that millions of workers have to choose between their paycheck and their health. It's also bad public policy: sick employees are less productive and can spread contagious illnesses to their co-workers and others with whom they interact."
AAUW believes that the Healthy Families Act is a long-term workable solution that contains principles necessary to any paid sick days legislation - ensuring that workers are economically secure, protected in their jobs, and able to care for their families and themselves when illness strikes.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for March 12, 2010.
President Obama postponed his upcoming trip to Asia as Congressional democrats vowed to pass health care reform through the reconciliation process. In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) addressed Republican concerns about reconciliation. Reid also alluded to the idea that Republican concerns should be focused on components of the health care bill rather than the reconciliation process. Democrats must still settle multiple issues before they reach the reconciliation process, including a decision on whether to attach a student loan bill known as the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act.
AAUW believes that everyone is entitled to health care that is high-quality, affordable, and easily accessible. This position stems from AAUW's 2009-2011 Public Policy Program, which advocates: "increased access to quality affordable health care."
- from AAUW's Washington Update for March 12, 2010.
This week, President Obama made a last push for health care reform, releasing his final proposal. On Thursday, the White House called for the reform to be completed by March 18th, leaving Congress with only two weeks to pass the legislation. As a result of the strict time constraints and the fear of a Republican filibuster in the Senate, the House is expected to pass the more moderate Senate bill to be sent to White House for the president's signature. Once the bill becomes law, both chambers are expected to make changes to the Senate bill through a process known as reconciliation. Only a simple majority is required to pass a bill through reconciliation, making Republican filibuster attempts nearly obsolete.
AAUW believes that everyone is entitled to health care that is high-quality, affordable, and easily accessible. This position stems from AAUW's 2009-2011 Public Policy Program, which advocates: "increased access to quality affordable health care."
- from AAUW's Washington Update for March 5, 2010.
Find out how you can help raise awareness about the 46 million people in our country - including more than 8 million children - who lack health coverage, and become part of the solution to expand coverage for all, by visiting the website, Cover the Uninsured.
President Obama used his weekly address this week to lay out his plans on health care reform. In addition to calling on Democrats and Republicans to attend a health care summit at the White House, the president released his own health care plan, taking ideas from Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of Congress. The plan aims to extend coverage to 31 million Americans and to decreasing the federal deficit by $100 billion over a ten-year period. Although the President's plan does not include a public option, it does include less-restrictive language on abortion compared to the "Stupak amendment" that passed with the House bill.
At the president's health care summit yesterday, many participants addressed health care issues specific to women - including breast cancer, maternity hospital care, and gender rated insurance plans - but only a handful of women were actually present. Of the more than 40 summit participants, only 5 were women: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
AAUW has long believed that politicians should not insert themselves into the decision-making process when it comes to reproductive health care, which is a basic element of women's health care overall. As a result, AAUW firmly believes that health care reform legislation should require coverage of women's reproductive health services.
ACTION: Contact your members of Congress now to remind them that health care reform should not come at the cost of women's reproductive health.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 26, 2010.
Families USA has released a new report, Lives on the Line: The Deadly Consequences of Delaying Health Reform, which examines the consequences of Congress failing to act on health reform not only in the future, but also the negative impact past inaction has had on the number and lives of the uninsured. The report provides state-level data, estimating the number of deaths that will occur in each state due to lack of health insurance if reform is not passed, as well as quantifying the number of lives that have been lost since 1994 when Congress last attempted to pass comprehensive health reform legislation.
In 1994, the number of uninsured was 40 million. Today, as a result of Congress's past inaction, that number has soared to nearly 50 million. But just looking at the number of uninsured does not give a true picture of what it means to lack health insurance coverage.
Those who are uninsured are more likely to be burdened with medical debt and unable to afford the cost of care. As a result, many forgo routine preventative care or worse, when they're sick, choose not to be treated at all. What does this all mean? Thousands of Americans are dying prematurely. The numbers are staggering: Since the end of 1994, more than 294,000 American adults (25-64 years old) died prematurely due to a lack of health coverage. And it will only get worse. If Congress fails to act now, a projected 275,000 Americans will lose their lives by 2019 due to a lack of coverage.
In New York alone, 18,800 New Yorkers have died prematurely due to lack of health insurance since 1995 and if comprehensive health reform legislation is not enacted, another 13,900 New Yorkers will lose their lives by 2019. See the full report.
- from a Families USA eAlert for February 25, 2010
Almost one-third of young adults in their 20s lacked health insurance in the United States in 2008, new statistics show. The problem was more pronounced among men 20 to 29 years of age, 35 percent of whom went without coverage for medical care. As a result, these uninsured 20-somethings are less likely to visit a doctor on a regular basis, less likely to fill prescriptions and more likely to arrive at the emergency room.
"The highest uninsured rate is among people in their 20s and even though this is a relatively healthy group, they do need some access to health care," said Robin A. Cohen, lead author of a data brief just released by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And people in their 20s generally are in transition, moving from home where they could be on their parents' plan, to college where they could be on a college plan or to the workforce, where they may be on no plan. And children who had been covered under Medicaid aren't likely to be eligible for that program when they turn 19, Collins added.
Based on data collected from more than 13,000 adults aged 20 to 29, the researchers discovered that:
- from a Health Day.com on February 25, 2010.
A report showing that nationally, family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance increased 119 percent between 1999 and 2008, and could increase another 94 percent by 2020, to an average $23,842 per family, if cost growth continues on its current course. National reforms that slow health care cost increases would yield substantial savings for families and businesses across the country. The report includes state-by-state analysis of premium costs and projected increases.
- from a Commonwealth Fund eAlert for February 22, 2010.
Although America appears to be finally emerging from the recession, most states are still struggling with budget shortfalls, especially when trying to cover essential social services for the most vulnerable families in their states.
Last year, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provided $87 billion in increased federal funding for Medicaid, helping to offset the cost of new enrollment. Unfortunately, ARRA is scheduled to end December 31, 2010, right in the middle of the state fiscal year 2011, which could result in drastic cuts to Medicaid across the country.
Families USA has released a special report, States in Need: Congress Should Extend Temporary Increase in Medicaid Funding, which discusses the need to extend the enhanced federal funding to states proposed in the House of Representatives’ jobs bill, as well as President Obama’s 2011 budget.
- from a Families USA eAlert for February 18, 2010
In November, thousands of Action Network members urged their senators to help millions of Americans dealing with economic hardship by extending unemployment benefits, and their voices were heard. On Nov. 6, President Obama signed legislation to do just that, extending this crucial coverage for a limited time. Unfortunately, that extension, along with an extension in COBRA insurance subsidies, is set to expire at the end of February. Urge the Senate to act now to prevent leaving millions of American workers and their families without the crucial benefits they need to make ends meet.
The unemployment rate is still hovering around 10 percent, and the Department of Labor Statistics reports that there is only one job for every six unemployed workers looking for work. Nearly 40 percent of unemployed workers -- more than 6 million Americans -- have been out of a job for six months or more, more than five times the number of people who faced long-term unemployment three years ago. According to the National Employment Law Project, more than 1 million workers will lose their unemployment benefits in the month of March alone. See how many will be affected in your state.
Thanks to emergency legislation passed in December, workers laid off before Feb. 28 can receive up to 15 months of help paying their COBRA premiums. However, for many workers, this help will run out at the end of the month. And for those laid off after Feb. 28, no help is available. Without federal help, COBRA premiums are simply unaffordable for most unemployed people.
Unemployment benefits keep women and families afloat when they face a prolonged job loss, and they keep money flowing into the economy. And until comprehensive health care reform is completed, COBRA assistance needs to be available to protect unemployed workers. AAUW supported the extension and expansion of unemployment benefits included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed last year, but as workers continue to face a tough job market, more help is needed.
Unless Congress extends unemployment benefits now, families suffering from long-term unemployment will face untold hardship at the end of this month. There's no time to wait; urge your senators to act now.
Take Action! Urge your senators to support extending unemployment benefits insurance to help millions of American workers.
- from AAUW's Action Network for February 18, 2010.
A new briefing paper by the Institute for Women's Policy Research reports that in 2009, nearly 8 million employees took no time off work while infected with the H1N1 flu. The study relied on data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ultimately suggesting that a lack of paid sick days permitted the spread of H1N1 in the workplace.
AAUW supports The Healthy Families Act (H.R. 2460/S. 1152) which would provide full-time employees with seven paid sick days a year to be used for their own medical needs or to tend to the medical needs of a family member.
Take Action! Join our Action Network and urge your representative to cosponsor the Healthy Families Act to ensure American workers will be able to care for themselves and their families during times of illness.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 12, 2010.
On Tuesday, First Lady Michelle Obama laid out her new initiative to combat childhood obesity in the United States, accompanied by a formal memorandum by the president to establish a national taskforce incorporating the departments of the Interior, Health and Human Services, Agriculture and Education. The project, called "Let's Move," focuses on better nutrition information and access to healthy foods, increased physical activity and personal responsibility.
While it is estimated that female students receive 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than do male students, the U.S. Department of Education does not require high schools to make athletic opportunity, participation, and funding statistics publicly available, even though they already collect this data. Colleges are required to report this data, it's time our high schools are too.
Take Action! Support girls who want to play high school sports and encourage an equal playing field. It's time we know the score of Title IX in America's high schools. Urge your senators to cosponsor the High School Sports Information Collection Act! Click here, enter your zip code and click "Go!" Then follow the instructions to compose and send your message.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 12, 2010.
A new report released last week by the Center for American Progress (CAP) shows that American families work longer hours, with fewer laws to support them, than approximately 30 other industrialized democracies. The authors, CAP Senior Economist Heather Boushey and University of California-Hastings College of Law Professor Joan Williams, look at issues like paid parental leave, discrimination against workers with family responsibilities, paid sick days, work-time flexibility without retaliation, and proportional wages for part-time work. Of note, the report concludes that 90 percent of mothers and 95 percent of fathers in the U.S. report work-family conflict.
AAUW believes that creating work environments that help employees balance the responsibilities of work and family is good public policy-good for workers, good for families, and good for business. We will continue to oppose all efforts to weaken Family and Medical Leave Act protections, which would limit women's opportunity in the workplace, and work to advance policies that will improve workplaces for employees with family responsibilities of all kinds.
Take Action! Urge your representatives to support the Healthy Families Act (H.R. 2460/S. 1152), which would provide full-time employees with seven paid sick days a year to be used for their own medical needs or to tend to the medical needs of a family member. Then, take another minute to urge your senators to support the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (S. 354), which would provide federal workers up to four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child and would be a significant step towards paid parental leave for all Americans.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 5, 2010.
The Urban Institute released a report this week that shows how individual states would be affected by the Senate health care bill. Low income populations and those who fall below the federal poverty level are more prevalent in these states, making it likely that the majority of people eligible for federal subsidizes under the bill, roughly 87 million, would reside in the southern and western part of the country. Different population conditions in northeastern states means that 95.2 million Americans, in those states, would likely not be eligible for these benefits.
AAUW believes that everyone is entitled to health care that is high-quality, affordable, and easily accessible. This position stems from AAUW's 2009-2011 Public Policy Program, which advocates: "increased access to quality affordable health care."
- from AAUW's Washington Update for January 29, 2010.
One of AAUW's key priorities in the health care reform debate is an end to the discriminatory practice of gender rating. While the Senate's health care reform bill makes some steps in this area, it falls disappointingly short of the ultimate goal.
Under the House bill, insurance companies are banned from charging men and women different premiums for individually-purchased health care plans, and are also banned from charging employers different premiums based on the gender make-up of their workforce. However, the Senate bill fails to provide this protection to businesses with more than 100 workers. As a result, women working for large employers with majority female workforces, like schools, child care providers, health care facilities, and others will continue to face this discriminatory pricing. Similarly, their employers will continue to face significantly higher health care costs simply because they employ more women. As the two bills are merged into one, contact your members of Congress now to urge them to end this discriminatory practice for all women, regardless of the size of their workplace.
Women should not be subjected to discrimination under any circumstances, let alone based on such factors as the size of their employers or the gender of their coworkers. Gender rating can result in women's monthly premiums ranging from four percent to 48 percent higher than men's, even when under identical coverage. Not only could the Senate bill's arbitrary distinction encourage employers to hire more men than women to avoid higher premiums, it could also stifle job growth for businesses near the 100-person mark that employ a higher proportion of women.
In October, a group of 25 senators sent a letter urging their colleagues to end this discriminatory practice for all employers, regardless of size. Urge your members of Congress to do the same.
Write your members of Congress and urge them to ensure that the ban on gender rating is extended to all employers, regardless of their size, as the health care bills are combined.
- from AAUW's Action Network for January 7, 2010.
Families USA has updated the State Information section of our Web site. Now, our 50 individual state pages are easier to access than ever before. Each page contains information including key health contacts, government links, and state-specific fact sheets and reports. These state pages are easy to find using our new state information map.
- from a Families USA e-alert for October 2, 2009.