Giving women greater control over their own healthcare
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will lower costs for women, provide greater choices, and ensure that women have greater control of their care and their family's care. After years of paying more for their healthcare and facing greater discrimination by insurance companies, the Affordable Care Act makes our healthcare system more affordable and equitable for women.
Key provisions of the law that will make a difference in the lives of millions of women now and in the future:
- Stops the discriminatory practice of charging women more than men for health insurance.
- Ends insurance abuses such as denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions - formerly including cesarean sections, diabetes and domestic violence - and dropping individuals after they become sick.
- Guarantees preventive care, including free screenings for breast and cervical cancer and immunizations for children.
- Expands coverage for young adults by allowing them to stay on their parents' health plan until age 26.
- In 2014, extends health care coverage to tens of millions of women and families who currently don't have insurance.
Lower Costs for Women
- Eliminates all lifetime limits on how much insurance companies will pay.
- State health insurance exchanges and all new plans will limit out of-pocket expenses, such as co-pays and deductibles.
- Provides tax credits starting in 2014 for women who cannot afford quality health insurance.
Greater Choices for Women
- Stops insurance companies from denying children coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
- Prohibits insurance companies from denying any woman coverage because of a pre-existing condition.
Better, More Affordable Care for Women and their Families
- Ensures coverage of prevention and basic health services, including maternity benefits Requires coverage of basic pediatric services for children under 18 under all new health plans, as well as oral and vision needs, starting in 2014.
- State health insurance exchanges will provide consumer-friendly comparisons of prices, benefits and performance of health plans so women can decide which option is right for themselves and/or their families.
