Millions of Women to Benefit From Affordable Care Act, Report Says

Thirty million women will benefit from the health care reform law during its implementation over the next several years, a new report says.

Fifteen million currently uninsured women will get subsidized coverage, while another 15 million will see a strengthening of coverage under the law, according to The Commonwealth Fund report. The Affordable Care Act, the report says, includes provisions that will help women by expanding eligibility for Medicaid; providing subsidies to purchase insurance; limiting out-of-pocket spending; preventing insurers from charging higher premiums or denying coverage based on health status or gender; and requiring new plans to cover maternity and newborn care. In addition, the provisions will help women who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid or premium subsidies gain comprehensive coverage.

The Commonwealth Fund notes that women are just as likely as men to be uninsured, but because of certain needs, women can be more vulnerable to higher costs insurance and rejection from plans. For example, women of reproductive age are considered a higher risk that men, so women report more difficulty obtaining insurance through individual providers and higher premiums. Moreover, most individual policies do not cover pregnancies.

"Historically, women have been more vulnerable to high health care costs and have had greater difficulty paying medical bills because of their lower incomes," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis. "This report provides good news to all women, who will be more likely to get the care they need, with reduced risk of incurring the unaffordable medical bills that have affected so many Americans."

The report says women in the states with the highest percentage of uninsured females will gain the most from the provisions: New Mexico and Texas (29 percent uninsured in 2008); Florida and Louisiana (24 percent uninsured); and Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Mississippi, West Virginia, Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada and Oklahoma (at least 20 percent uninsured).

As someone who has had many struggles trying to obtain insurance once I got off my parents', I applaud the coming changes that will help women of all ages. It's a only a shame that it's taken this long for necessities like pregnancy coverage to be mandatory.

Kristi Eaton is a staff writer for Campus Progress. She graduated from Arizone State University in 2008.