New women's health benefits begin today

August 1, 2012

Earlier today ProgressVA reported, "In a momentous step forward, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebeluis today announced that--thanks to ObamaCare--1,376,205 women in Virginia will have access to free prevention-related health care services without paying out of their own pocket. This means that, beginning August 1, 2012, 47 million women nationwide can take greater control over their health by having access to life-saving preventive care free of charge."

Progressive Point: Health and peace of mind begin with access to preventative health care and today over 1 million Virginia women have access to those services thanks to Obamacare. Starting today, 1,376,205 Virginia women can access essential preventative care like mammograms, contraception, and health check-ups without extra cost.

For the first time ever, many Virginia women will have access to life-saving tests and services, but Mitt Romney and Ken Cuccinelli want to take away these protections. They and conservatives in Congress want to allow insurance companies to keep charging women more than men and deny coverage because of "pre-existing conditions" like pregnancy or having been a victim of domestic violence. Obamacare puts women, not insurance companies, in control over their health care decisions. Today more than a million Virginia women can now access preventative care.

Get the Facts:

• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in Virginia, 1,376,205 women adult and adolescent women in Virginia became eligible for the new preventive services at no charge after Aug. 1, 2012. (Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, July 31, 2012)


• While some preventive care services were already mandated by the Affordable Care Act, the eight new preventative services required by the law include: well-woman visits, gestational diabetes screening that helps protect pregnant women from one of the most serious pregnancy-related diseases, domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling, FDA-approved contraceptive methods, and contraceptive education and counseling, breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling, HPV DNA testing for women 30 or older, sexually transmitted infections counseling for sexually-active women, and finally HIV screening and counseling for sexually-active women. (ProgressVA, August 1, 2012)

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