Yesterday, President Obama hosted a White House Summit on Health Care Reform to address soaring health care costs and the immediate need for reform. Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center, attended the summit – reflecting the importance of the voice of women to this critical dialogue, and how essential it is that health care reform meet the needs of women and their families. Greenberger’s statement follows:
 
“It was a great honor to attend this landmark event, and to be able to share ideas with leading health care providers, members of Congress, advocacy groups, and members of the Obama administration.
 
“The National Women’s Law Center has been working hard to ensure that health reform meets the needs of women and their families – and brings this perspective to the discussion national debate.
 
“Everyone in this country shares the need for affordable, accessible, and comprehensive health care, but women have unique roles as patients, as family health care decision makers, and as caregivers – both paid and unpaid.
 
“Yet, our current health care system fails to meet the needs of far too many women – especially low-income women and women of color. Overall, 18 percent of women are uninsured. Even for those who have health insurance, women are more likely than men to have health coverage that has too many gaps, including large co-pays, life-time limits, and the exclusion of needed services altogether.

“As health care costs climb through the roof, growing numbers of people simply can’t afford coverage. This scenario leaves women, in particular, at great financial risk; one in four women says that she is unable to pay her medical bills. The high cost of care means women are more likely than men to delay or go without needed health care. In fact, as an NWLC study demonstrated, women who have to buy insurance directly from health insurers are often charged more than men for the exact same coverage, even with maternity coverage excluded.
 
“Currently, all women – whether they have insurance or not – are more likely than men to face challenges paying for their medical bills – and are thus more likely than men to skip necessary medical care. Avoiding necessary care results in human suffering and in higher costs later on, when medical problems have become harder and more expensive to treat. As President Obama stated today, health care reform is no longer just a moral imperative – it’s also a fiscal imperative.
 
 “It was heartening to hear the President’s determination to secure swift implementation of health reform. President Obama has not only set a goal to enact comprehensive health care reform by the end of the year, but has taken concrete steps, including an unprecedented ‘down payment’ for health reform in his proposed budget. Key leaders of Congress have also announced their plans to move health reform legislation this year. 
 
“But we also know that opponents of reform are already mobilizing to defeat these efforts. This time, we can’t let them succeed – we have too much at stake. The cost of health care is among the top economic concerns of women and their families, and fixing our health care system is key to fixing our economy. 
 
“Today’s historic meeting demonstrated that failure cannot be an option. Women and their families simply can’t afford to wait any longer for meaningful reform that will bring a guarantee of quality, affordable comprehensive health care for us all.” 
 
NWLC’s project Reform Matters: Making Real Progress for Women and Health Care (http://www.nwlc.org/reformmatters), started in early 2008, empowers women to be vocal advocates in the fight for progressive health care reform. As an active member of several leading progressive health care coalitions, including Health Care for America Now! (HCAN) and the Herndon Alliance, NWLC brings a unique perspective to the table by advocating for the specific needs of women.
 
To learn more about NWLC’s work around women and health care reform, visit www.nwlc.org/reformmatters.