First Health Reform Amendment Assures Universal Access to Preventive Care for Women 
"... [My amendment] makes universal access to women's preventive and screening services for women available... We don't mandate that you get a service, we leave that up to a decision made by a woman and her doctor. But, first you must be able to have a doctor... When you have that, that there also be universal access to preventive and screening services." Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
The New York Times reported at 12:32 pm today, December 3 that: "Breaking a three-day stalemate, the Senate approved an amendment to its health care legislation that would require insurance companies to offer free mammograms and other preventive services to women. The vote was 61 to 39, with three Republicans joining 56 Democrats and the two independents in favor."
The Democrats' health reform bill under consideration in the Senate already contained requirements that insurers cover preventive care. The Mikulski amendment goes further, mandating coverage for a broader package of services for women.
The vote broke the stalmate on moving health reform in the Senate. The symbolism of having this breakthrough vote on women's preventive health services is good news for advocates of preconception care.
National Public Radio (NPR) reported that the Senate passed one amendment from Senator Mikulski, while rejecting another introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski , a Republican from Alaska. Both amendments dealt with women's health coverage.
The Murkowski amendment would have barred the federal government from setting binding health guidelines based on recommendations from the US Preventative Services Task Force. The Task Force's recently announced controversial recommendations regarding mammograms. Senator Mikulski argued that the Murkowski amendment didn't do enough to guarantee coverage of preventive services for women.
Senator Mikulski's office issued a statement regarding the Women's Health Amendment which emphasizes that: "Health care is a women's issue, health care reform is a must-do women's issue and health insurance reform is a must-change women's issue. Women pay more for health insurance and get less. For far too long, many insurance companies have treated simply being a woman as a pre-existing condition. They've used every trick in the book to deny coverage to women.
That's why I'm so proud the Senate passed the Mikulski Amendment. It guarantees access to preventive tests that save money and save women's lives. It requires insurance companies to cover preventive care and screenings at no added cost to women.
Without my amendment, there would be no guarantee that women under 50 would be covered for mammograms, no guarantee of an annual women's health exam that would include screenings for heart disease, and no guarantee that women would have access to this preventive care at no cost."
Senator Mikulski's website provides access to the full text of the amendment is available, as well as a summary and a video of Senator Mikulski on the Senate Floor. |
