Washington, D.C. Joined by Dr. Kristen Zarfos, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Connecticut; Teresa Younger, Executive Director, General Assembly’s Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women; and Dr. Carolyn Mazure, Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn. – 3) today hosted a public forum in New Haven on health insurance reform and women’s health.

“I have every confidence that Congress will pass comprehensive health care reform this year,” said DeLauro. “The stakes for our nation, both in terms of dollars and lives, are too high for us not to act.

“Right now in America, one in five women over age fifty have not had a mammogram in the past two years, mostly because they could not afford one. Under the Democratic plan, important preventive services like mammography, cancer screenings, and flu shots will not only be covered – they will be much more affordable. With this bill, we really start to change our focus from a sick care system to a real health care system – the point is to help people stay healthy.

“It is necessary that insurance coverage recognizes the health and medical needs of women and mothers and covers them accordingly. Just a few days ago, Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, deemed insurance coverage of maternity care unimportant because, quote, 'I don’t need maternity care.' Senator Debbie Stabenow reminded him, 'Your mom probably did!'

“Four out of five women with individual market policies have no maternity coverage whatsoever. Having a child, or having had a c-section, or being a victim of domestic violence, should not be treated just as a “pre-existing condition”. If you happen to have been born a woman, you should not be charged up to 48% more for your insurance. It is time to end the insurance industry’s pernicious practice of “gender rating.” And it is time to bring women on equal footing when it comes to health care.”

“Health reform is important for women of all ages. Uninsured older women ages 55-64 are often exposed to high and potentially ruinous out-of-pocket health care costs, and are among the most susceptible to the abuses of the individual marketplace – getting denied health care based on age or health status. On average, the 21 million senior women in the Medicare program spent 17 percent of their income on health care in 2005. The growth in Medicare Part B premiums from 2000 to 2018 is predicted to cost seniors an additional $1,577 per year out-of-pocket. To slow this premium growth for all seniors, our reforms will reduce overpayments to private plans and clamp down on fraud and abuse. And it will extend the life of the Medicare trust fund by 5 years.”