DELAURO, CAPPS LAUD IOM WOMEN’S HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS

Washington, DC— Representatives RosaDeLauro (CT-3) and Lois Capps (CA-23) applauded a new report released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) advocating that contraception services, supplies education and counseling be included in the comprehensivepreventive care guidelines under the Patient Protection and AffordableCare Act (ACA).

Signed into law last year, the ACAfundamentally changes the American health care system, shifting thefocus away from reactive responses and towards prevention and wellness.All Americans will benefit from this change, but women especially asthey live longer and have specific health care needs that havetraditionally been overlooked.

Capps submitted testimony to the IOMsigned by 42 other members, including Congresswoman DeLauro, in supportof requiring that contraceptive services are included in the essentialbenefits package. They cited a strong research base that shows theimportant health impacts of planning a pregnancy and proper birthspacing on both a woman and her children, as well as studies thatindicate women and their families experience cost barriers toaffordable, reliable birth control methods.

"I commend the IOM and their work tointerpret the ACA's clinical preventive care requirements for women,especially the inclusion of contraceptive methods, regular screeningsfor HPV, counseling and education for sexually active women, and annual‘well-woman' preventive care services," said Congresswoman DeLauro. "The passage of the Affordable Care Act was one of the proudest moments ofmy life— for over a year, many of my colleagues and I fought to ensurethat the legislation would include specific health care benefits forwomen, expanding their access to care instead of restricting theirchoices. The recommendations in this study reflect that effort, and will ensure that for the first time, women are on equal footing with menwhen it comes to health care."

"Planning a pregnancy and proper birthspacing are critically important to ensure that both a woman and herchildren are as healthy as possible. However, especially in hardeconomic times like we are experiencing now, women and their partnersoften have to choose between high contraceptive costs and paying thebills. The IOM's recommendation to include all FDA contraceptive methods as a critical preventative service—without cost sharing—and to coverthe patient education and counseling necessary to ensure each woman canchoose the method best for her, is a critical step in empowering allwomen to plan their pregnancies," said Congresswoman Capps.