Planned Parenthood Celebrates Key Affordable Care Act Milestone for Women's Preventive Care
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
Critical birth control and other preventive benefits for women to begin going into effect
DENVER - This week Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) celebrates a critical early milestone for women’s preventive health under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Specifically, the birth control benefit that begins going into effect tomorrow will start making birth control available at no cost to women, providing essential preventive care and easing the strain on household budgets.
Women will see this benefit at varying times depending on their plans. Specifically, the birth control benefit will start tomorrow for those on new private insurance plans and will continue to take effect for other plans over the coming months.
“As the region’s leading women’s health care provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains knows firsthand how critical the birth control benefit is for women and families, not just for their health but also for their pocketbooks,” said Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of PPRM. “We see the need for affordable health care every single day. And for the one in five women who relies on Planned Parenthood at some point in her life, the preventive benefits that begin rolling out tomorrow will help ease the struggle of deciding whether to pay for birth control or pay for textbooks, groceries, or gas for the car.”
As implementation of the Affordable Care Act continues, Planned Parenthood will stand alongside the nearly three million patients served by Planned Parenthood health centers nationally every year, continuing the fight for access to affordable, quality health care.
“Politics should never interfere with access to health care. Americans aren’t interested in reopening fights over health care reform,” said Cowart. “Let’s be very clear: expanding Medicaid is smart fiscal and health policy for states. There is no good reason for states not to expand coverage for those who need it most and Planned Parenthood will be working across the country to ensure that, regardless of income, Coloradans will gain that access.”
Nearly half of Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid coverage to access preventive care, including cancer screenings and birth control.
The Affordable Care Act is the greatest advance for women’s health in a generation. As the benefits for women’s preventive care continue to roll out, millions of women will gain access to basic preventive care at no cost, including birth control, cancer screenings, well-woman exams, and screenings for diabetes and high blood pressure. Additionally, under the ACA, women will no longer have to pay more for health insurance than men and people can no longer be denied insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions like breast cancer, having a C-section, or being the victim of domestic violence.
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Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains empowers individuals and families in the communities we serve to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health by providing high quality health services, comprehensive sex education, and strategic advocacy. More than 123,000 women, men, and young adults annually visit our 28 health centers throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Southern Nevada, and Wyoming. Since 1916, we have been the region’s most trusted provider of reproductive health care. For more information about Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, call 1.800.230.PLAN or visit pprm.org for the health center nearest you.
Source
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Inc.
Contact
Monica McCafferty
303.813.7732
720.475.0289
Published
July 31, 2012