By expanding health coverage and access to birth control to millions, Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been a game changer for women.
Before the ACA, millions of women were denied coverage because of so-called “pre-existing conditions” like breast cancer, pregnancy, or domestic abuse; some were forced to pay more for insurance just because they were women; and some were only allowed limited plans that excluded coverage for any health concerns they already had.
What’s more, all people faced limits on the amount of coverage they could use in their lifetime — so one serious illness could mean bankruptcy.
In the days before Obamacare became law, many people had to pay out-of-pocket for basic preventive health care like breast cancer screenings, Pap tests, and birth control — costing them hundreds of dollars a year or more.
In fact, before the ACA’s birth control benefit went into effect, contraception accounted for 30% to 44% of women’s out-of-pocket health care costs.
Because of all this, much-needed preventive, reproductive health care was out of reach for far too many people. The ACA helped change that.
One of the most immediate changes for reproductive health was the ACA’s birth control benefit, which ensured that nearly 63 million women now have birth control without a copay, and helped women save an estimated $1.4 billion on the pill in the ACA’s first year alone.
Today, millions of women, families, and young people are benefiting from the Affordable Care Act — and millions more will benefit as the law continues to be implemented.
Know this: We won’t go back to an era where women paid more for health care simply because of their gender. That’s why Planned Parenthood Action Fund and our supporters are fighting to protect the Affordable Care Act and any other health care law that supports reproductive health.
Everyone, no matter where they live or how much money they have, should have access to basic health care.