Health Reform Could Lead to More Women Getting Essential Care

A report says 43 percent of U.S. women went without medication or doctor’s visits in 2010 because they couldn’t afford it. In Wisconsin, 90 percent of women have insurance, but a women’s group says some still forego care.

A report by the Commonwealth Fund compares women’s health care coverage in 11 industrialized countries. The U.S. has the highest rate of women going without needed care. Women in the U.S. pay more for coverage then men because of what’s called “gender rating.” In Wisconsin, women pay anywhere from 22 to 42 percent more, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Services like maternity coverage are extra. Federal rules on essential health benefits for insurance plans on state exchanges include maternity and newborn care. However, states are given leeway in determining how extensive coverage is. Sara Finger, with the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health, says “There’s going to be a federal base level and then it’s going to be up to Wisconsin to design those packages. We have our work cut out for us to make that argument, but there is an opportunity under the Affordable Care Act to provide more maternity coverage.”

Health reform will also affect women who get care through Wisconsin’s Medicaid program. The Supreme Court said states could not be penalized for failing to expand coverage, and some states, like Maine, are interpreting the ruling to mean they can cut coverage. Wisconsin’s governor has said no decision will be made until after the November election. Republicans are hoping for political gains that will allow them to repeal federal health reform.