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The Affect of Health Care Reform on Women's Health

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Abstract
The role of women in society has taken a drastic change from their predecessors of the 1950’s. Women have found their voice in society through the power of voting as one of the first landmarks, and now more than ever, women are forcefully breaking through the glass ceilings in the workforce arena. The concern at hand is a woman’s ability to access timely and appropriate care as well as preventive services, which enable her to continue balancing the many hats that she is wearing in modern society. With the new health reform law, passed by President Obama in March of 2010, this new law holds the potential to expand women’s access to health insurance coverage and make reforms that may strengthen the health care systems ability to …show more content…

Insurance reforms require guarantee issue and renewability of policies regardless of health status; also banned, are pre-existing condition exclusions. Insurance companies are now not legally able to charge higher premiums based on gender, health status, or occupation.
Healthcare reform benefits include, essential health benefits which will mandate all new plans to offer minimum coverage for ambulatory care emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance abuse care, and preventative and wellness services. There will be no cost sharing for preventive services; however contraceptives will not be included in the essentials package. Medicare benefits include new personalized health plan benefit with an annual comprehensive risk assessment. Also $250 rebate will be given for spending in the coverage gap. Long-term care includes a program called Class Act by 2011, which is a voluntary savings program that allows those with disabilities to purchase non-medical services. Office on Women’s Health has now been established in all major federal agencies such as DHHS, CDC, and FDA; this entails a coordinating committee on women’s health and a national women’s health information center.
Eliminating the barriers to access of care starts with the extended health insurance coverage offered through the ACA. The Shortage of healthcare providers in areas- opens a window of

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