Womenstake

BREAKING NEWS: Health Reform Bill “Fixes” Include Raising the Reimbursement Rate for Primary Care Providers under Medicaid

2010-03-19T11:24:55-04:00

by Julia Kaye, Health Policy Associate,
National Women's Law Center

In January, we wrote a blog praising health reform’s Medicaid expansion but wondering whether there would be enough providers participating in the program to ensure that the 16 million people newly eligible for Medicaid will be able to access the care they need. On Monday, the New York Times published an article that asked the same question.

Those concerned about Medicaid reimbursement levels—and what that means for patients—received some good news yesterday afternoon, when the package of “fixes” to the Senate health reform bill was released. Under the revised bill, to prepare for the dramatic increase in Medicaid enrollment in 2014, states would be required to increase their reimbursement rates for primary care services under Medicaid in 2013 and 2014—and the federal government would pick up the whole tab. For those two years (at least!), Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care would have to equal the higher rates paid under Medicare. The required rate increase would only apply to primary care services provided by specialists in family medicine, general internal medicine, and pediatric medicine; regretfully, states would not be required to increase the payment rates to OB-GYN specialists for the important primary care services they provide.

While this fix doesn’t go all the way towards solving the problem, it’s a significant improvement from the original Senate bill and an important step towards ensuring that the millions of people gaining Medicaid eligibility under health reform will gain access to the care they need. Though at this time, states will only receive extra federal dollars to help them afford this rate increase for two years, we will work tirelessly in the coming years to ensure that states receive the federal support they need to maintain these higher reimbursement rates in 2015 and beyond.

A Second Crack in the Glass TV Screen

2010-03-19T11:09:19-04:00

by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst,
National Women's Law Center

After waiting months to see if ABC would diversify the Sunday morning talk shows when it filled its opening at the anchor desk of “This Week,” we finally have our answer, and it’s a good one. Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s long-time foreign correspondent, will be taking over the slot as moderator of the show. This follows CNN’s recent decision to make Candy Crowley the anchor of its Sunday morning show, so suddenly the long-time bastion of white males is not so male anymore.

But this doesn’t mean we can be satisfied with the progress that’s been made so far. The Sunday morning shows need to continue to move forward to further increase the diversity of their anchors, their guests, and the topics they cover. And hopefully, the new female hosts will not be content to simply break the glass ceiling by being where they are, but also break some new ground in the way politics are covered on Sunday mornings.

The Time is Now: Women Can't Wait for Health Reform

2010-03-18T17:55:13-04:00

Today, the House of Representatives released its much-awaited final health care legislation. The following is a statement by Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC):

“The House bill marks another historic step on the long road to finally improving access to quality health care for millions of women and their families.

“The bill will end key insurance company practices that discriminate against women simply because they are women. Women who have had Caesarean sections or who are domestic violence survivors will no longer be denied coverage under the guise that these are ‘pre-existing conditions.’ Women who have breast or ovarian cancer will no longer be turned down. Women will no longer face barriers to getting coverage for maternity care. And millions of women will no longer pay higher premiums than men simply because they are women.

“The House bill improves the Senate reform bill in ways that are especially important to women, such as higher premium subsidies for lower-income women, higher Medicaid reimbursements for primary care providers, and closure of the Medicare prescription drug ‘donut hole.’ But this reform bill isn’t all it should be. One glaring problem is the inclusion of onerous restrictions on coverage for abortion care. We will never rest until those restrictions are removed. But in spite of its flaws, the bill is worthy of support.

“Women have a major stake in securing this reform. As insurance premiums skyrocket, women make agonizing choices every day between paying rent or buying food and going to a doctor, and more than half of women go without necessary medical care because of cost. For many of these women and their families, how Congress votes will literally affect their health, and their lives, everyday.

“The time for debate is over. Women have waited far too long already – they’re counting on House members to stand strong and side with them to deliver health coverage they can count on. The time is now to pass this bill.”

Delays in Judicial Confirmation Must Stop

2010-03-18T14:25:58-04:00

by Rachel Peck, Fellow,
National Women's Law Center

Yesterday O. Rogeriee Thompson was confirmed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 98-0. And—although this is becoming increasingly rare for even noncontroversial Court of Appeals nominees— there was no cloture vote first.

That’s not to say this was a walk in the park for Judge Thompson. It took two months to get a floor vote after she was approved unanimously by the committee. Indeed, it’s part of an increasingly frustrating pattern of delaying judicial nominees in the Senate. Only eighteen circuit and district court judges have been confirmed under President Obama and twenty-two judges are waiting for a floor vote. By this point in President Bush’s first term, forty-one circuit and district court judges had been confirmed and only one judge was waiting for a vote on the Senate floor.

How is this happening, you may ask? Well, in addition to insisting on cloture votes, even for noncontroversial nominees, Senators like Kentucky’s Senator Bunning and Alabama’s Senator Shelby have put holds on President Obama’s judicial and executive branch nominees for reasons unrelated to the nominations themselves.

There are currently 100 judicial vacancies and thirty of these are judicial emergencies—courts where the workload on the other judges is excessively high because of the lack of judges. In tough economic times, ordinary Americans need the courts more than ever to protect them. Let’s hope that Judge Thompson’s confirmation signals that those citizens will get their day in court soon.

Yes, Virginia, You Have an Advocate at the IRS

2010-03-17T17:32:40-04:00

by Reggie Oldak, Senior Counsel,
National Women's Law Center

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS whose mission is to ensure that tax problems not resolved through normal channels are promptly and fairly handled. Each state has a Taxpayer Advocate to assist that state’s taxpayers.

Nina E. Olson, the National Taxpayer Advocate, heads the TAS. Yesterday, she testified before the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommitee about problems people have in dealing with the IRS. As we approach the April 15th deadline for filing our taxes, you might not be surprised to hear that she said the current IRS telephone service is "inadequate".

Of special note, however, is that she also said the agency is not doing enough to meet the needs of low-income taxpayers. We know that low-income taxpayers are disproportionately women. Ms. Olson pointed out that low-income taxpayers have other characteristics that not only limit their ability to earn income but also impair their ability to comply with documentation requests in tax disputes.

They are more likely to be elderly, disabled, and have limited English proficiency than the general population of taxpayers, she said. They tend to be more transitory than the general population. They face transportation and child care challenges. They live in neighborhoods with limited access to banks and thus turn to expensive check-cashing services, loan sharks, or subprime lenders. And they may not have access to remedies that require money. In addition, as we’ve highlighted here before, they are frequently involved in independent contractor versus employee misclassification issues, with, as she says, “a distinct lack of bargaining power on the part of the low-income worker.”

The Taxpayer Advocate Service won’t be able to take the questions you may have as you fill out your tax return. (We provide answers to many frequently asked questions about tax credits for working families here). But, if you have an ongoing issue with the IRS that has not been resolved through standard procedures, or you have suffered, or are about to suffer, a significant hardship as a result of the application of the tax laws, call the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s toll-free line at 1-877-777-4778 or TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059. For more information, go to www.irs.gov/advocate.

In the Win Column: Natalie Randolph Named Head Coach of High School Football Team

2010-03-17T11:42:19-04:00

by Rio Romero, Program Assistant,
National Women's Law Center

You may have already come across the Twitter tweets, Facebook status updates, or sensed a flurry of excitement from old college friends that the Super Bowl of college basketball is just around the corner.

Following the NCAA men’s and women’s recent tournament picks, I, and a frenzy of other sports fans, can begin filling out our tournament brackets and tune in to the plays of some of college hoops' great coaches—Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, Pat Summitt at Tennessee, Roy Williams at UNC, and Tara VanDerveer at Stanford. But what you may have missed under all those March Madness headlines was the announcement of Coolidge High School’s (in Washington, D.C.) new head football coach, Natalie Randolph.

The “gridiron ceiling can be broken,” said Karen Durkin of the Women’s Sports Foundation. Coach Randolph is thought to be the only woman currently leading a high school football team, and one of the few female coaches in a generally non-coed sport. Even in college sports, women coaches in programs like football are few and far between. According to the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, only 2-3 percent of coaches of men’s teams are women, with the majority represented in coed teams such as swimming.

As a young girl who grew up playing team sports from elementary school through high school, who idolized NBA three-point shooter phenomenon Reggie Miller and WNBA star Lisa Leslie, and who once dreamed of being part of an NBA coaching staff, I was thrilled to hear the news.

And despite any skeptics, like the NFL veteran who casted his doubt (via Twitter, I might add) by declaring football as “clearly a man’s sport,” what truly is crystal clear is that Randolph’s leadership qualities and achievements are worthy of recognition and ultimately make her the best fit for the position (a sentiment equally echoed by ESPN and the Washington Post’s own Michael Wilbon, who is also no stranger to breaking down barriers in the sports community).

Randolph’s passion for teaching youth on the field and off as a science teacher, her background as a college track athlete, and her experience in a woman’s pro football league and as an assistant at a local high school will greatly benefit the school and her own athletes. Young boys and girls today with similar aspirations of becoming any kind of coach can look to Randolph as an excellent example and feel confident in their future goals. In the end, that is what makes me most proud. It is a win for the world of sports, and one I will be thinking of as I get my upcoming fill of NCAA basketball action. Here’s to the Coolidge Colts, their new coach, and a successful season!

Successes and Missed Opportunities for Improving Unemployment Insurance for Women

2010-03-16T15:00:00-04:00

by Rachel Peck, Fellow,
National Women's Law Center

We are excited to report that last Friday, South Dakota became the first state this year to modernize its unemployment insurance laws and eliminate barriers to coverage, especially for women and low-wage workers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides funds to states that enact changes in their unemployment insurance laws which make it easier for workers who had been previously left out of the system to qualify for unemployment insurance. South Dakota’s new legislation makes it clear that part-time workers, the large majority of whom are women, qualify for unemployment insurance benefits. It also provides extended benefits for workers while in training programs.

More than half the states have improved their unemployment insurance systems since the Recovery Act was passed, as the National Employment Law Project reports. Utah, where a bill has passed both houses, could soon join the group.

While we are happy about these successes, we are also disappointed that some states neglected to act during their state’s legislative sessions. This past weekend, the legislatures of Indiana, Virginia, and West Virginia adjourned for the year without passing unemployment modernization reforms that would have helped women and their families and enabled these states to claim millions of dollars in federal incentive payments.

All is not lost for these three states and for all of the other states that have yet to enact these important unemployment insurance reforms. States have until August 2011 to pass modernization legislation.

To help us ensure that modernization reforms are passed in your state, visit http://action.nwlc.org/unemployment. Here you can learn more about unemployment modernization and how you can get involved. Many states are already hard at work trying to get these reforms enacted and we expect to see many new reforms enacted over the next year and a half!

School Reform Must Take into Account the Needs of All Students

2010-03-16T13:30:00-04:00

by Lara S. Kaufmann, Senior Counsel,
National Women’s Law Center

There is plenty to celebrate during Women’s History Month, particularly around the advances women have made in education. The impact of Title IX has been far-reaching, increasing the number of women in athletics and improving educational and career opportunities for American women and girls over almost four decades. But as we celebrate this success, it is critical that we not forget that there is a tremendous amount of work left. It therefore seems fitting that Congress chose this month to solicit feedback from the public about the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (aka “No Child Left Behind”). And, as you’d expect, we will have a lot to say.

The truth is, this is a time of crisis for all students in our nation’s schools. But somehow the voices of girls at risk in school largely have been absent from the debate around education reform. In fact, far too many policymakers and the media have bought into the stereotype that all girls are succeeding in school. Unfortunately that is just not the case: 19% of Asian American female students do not graduate on time, if at all (note: this number may be deceivingly low because it does not take into account variations between female students of different Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities); and the same is true for 41% of Latina students; 43% of African American female students, and 49% of Native American female students.

Despite these horrifying statistics, the overgeneralization that all girls are doing just fine permeates the debate around education reform due in part to a serious dearth of data on the performance of subgroups of students. We are trying to change that. As Congress and the Administration take a hard look at school reform, we hope that they will shift towards a more nuanced, “data-driven” path for school improvement. And in so doing, it is critical that the data driving policy be broken down by gender within each race/ethnicity.

Basing reforms on data rather than assumptions will be good for all students.

US Women Flyers Finally Recognized for Military Service

2010-03-16T12:30:00-04:00

by Kavitha Sivashanker, Fellow,
National Women's Law Center

Last week, veterans of the U.S. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were finally honored for their dedicated service to this country during World War II. At a ceremony on Capitol Hill, about 200 former WASPs were on-hand to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian honor given by Congress.

These women flew noncombat missions in order to free up male pilots for flying overseas. However, despite piloting military aircraft, these courageous women were considered civilians during the war, and so they were not entitled to the benefits, pay, or other recognition provided to the men who served. The Associated Press reported that no flags were even draped on their coffins if they died on duty—the fate of 38 WASPs who were killed during their service.

In a hearing I recently attended, a Senator described how the family of one young woman pilot put her picture in the window when she was killed on duty, but the military made the family take the photo down because the WASPs were considered civilians. And yet, even with these hardships, these women volunteered to serve. When asked why, Deanie Parrish, 88, stated, “[w]e did it because our country needed us.” In 1999, the National Women’s Law Center honored two of the Washington, D.C. area WASPs, along with other inspiring, ground-breaking military women at our annual dinner.

The long-overdue recognition of these former WASPs reminds us of the roadblocks that women in the military still face today. While there have been recent positive developments in the treatment of women by the U.S. Armed Forces—such as the Navy’s announcement of plans to open submarine service to women—many assignments remain off limits, despite the fact that women have proven themselves time and time again, under fire in the most difficult and dangerous operations.

We must recognize and reward the contributions made by military women to our national defense, and remove all barriers to their service in the Armed Forces. The brave women who serve us should not have to wait any longer to be recognized as equals.

The Time is Now: Women Can't Wait For Health Reform

2010-03-16T10:34:22-04:00

by Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights,
National Women's Law Center

They say the personal is political. And who knows that more than women?

When you have to choose between paying your rent and buying medicine for your family, while politicians try to stop legislation that would make health care more affordable and reliable — the personal is political.

It’s personal. And that’s why women must tell their Members of Congress to pass comprehensive health reform.

The comprehensive health reform plan will provide millions of women and families health coverage they never had before. It will end the insurance company practice of denying coverage to domestic violence survivors and to mothers who have had Caesarean sections under the guise that they have “pre-existing conditions.” And it will end discriminatory gender rating practices, in which insurers charge individual women more than men simply because they are women.

And when anti-choice politicians like Bart Stupak try to hijack getting quality, affordable health care that works for women — the political gets especially personal. So we will also not rest until the restrictions on abortion coverage are fixed.

Tell your Members of Congress — pass comprehensive, affordable health care for women and their families now.

And stay in the fight to make sure that all of women's needs, including abortion care, are met.

Thank you for your ongoing support for health care reform that works for women. We promised you we would push hard to fight for health care reform that works for women and their families, and we are on our way! Your support is critical for our continued success.