A Must Read on Health Care

By Ann Lewis on 04/07/2009 @ 05:30 PM

JUST THREE MORE DAYS

Just more 3 days to speak up for women's health! Remember that last minute Bush regulation, which allows health care providers not just to deny access to care of which they disapprove - such as emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault - but also to refuse to give patients referrals or information on how they could get such care. The Bush regulation claimed to be in the name of "conscience" - but there were already rules in place protecting health care providers.

The Obama administration has proposed to repeal this anti-science, anti-women, anti-family rule; the move to repeal is open for public comments until April 9.

Here are the kinds of comments the administration has asked for: "Information, including specific examples where feasible, supporting or refuting allegations that the December 19, 2008 final rule reduces access to information and health care services, particularly by low-income women; and comment on whether the objectives of the December 19, 2008 final rule might also be accomplished through non-regulatory means, such as outreach and education."

If you want to add your comment, click here to e-mail directly to HHS.

This is a critical opportunity to raise our voices and protect access to reproductive health care!

KATHLEEN SEBELIUS: DID YOU KNOW ?

Did you know that Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, named by President Obama to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Designate is "one of the few people in this country who has ever stopped the takeover of a not-for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield plan by a for-profit commercial insurance company" when she served as state Insurance Commissioner? According to Dr. Bill Roy, a former member of Congress from Kansas, "… the Sebelius decision helped stop cold further raids on not-for-profit health insurance companies built by local people over decades." Click here for the full article.

Governor Sebelius had her committee hearings this past week, and news reports describe it as very positive, with no opposition. BUT she wasn't voted on by the Committee before the Senate went on recess, because Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) objected to waiving procedural rules that required 2 days before further action. Well, it's not as if there is any need to move quickly on health care reform, after all.

NO COMMENT NECESSARY

I know I've said before that we don't need to tell one another why health care reform is so important; but I couldn't resist passing this quote along: "I could not get insurance. I've had heart surgery, and so I am completely uninsurable in the private market. So it's important that I keep my job." - Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO George Halverson

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CHANGES GOING ON

No Limits.org is pleased to announce we've got a lot of changes going on. Last month, you met our new Executive Director, Liz Wing. This month, we're moving forward with our new and improved website. We've heard from many of you about the kinds of features you want to see: social networking to make it easier to stay in touch with friends you met along the campaign trail and learn what they're doing now, new resources and information about issues so important to us and an action section on ways to be engaged. Watch this space: we'll be up and running by April 28, Equal Pay Day - and we have a lot of ideas about how to mark that day!

VITAL VOICES: SALUTING WOMEN OF COURAGE

We've talked about the inspiring evening celebration by Vital Voices last month, honoring women of courage from around the world: leaders for educating girls and women in Afghanistan, rescuing girls from brothels in Cambodia, speaking out against the horrors of rape in the Congo.

"From the continued scourge of human trafficking; to unequal laws that still discriminate against women; to inadequate access to credit, which denies women the chance to take good ideas and turn them into businesses; to the underrepresentation of women in both the public and the private sector; to the abuse of women as a tactic of war - these challenges affect all of us" Hillary said. "...So I pledge to you that I will do what I can do in this new position, with the strong support of President Obama and the administration, to put women's rights on the agenda as a central part of American foreign policy"

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