Pelosi Emphasizes Health Reform's Benefits for Women in Capitol Hill Rally

October 7, 2009 — As the House prepares for floor debate on its health reform bill (HR 3200), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday touted the legislation's benefits for women at a Capitol Hill press conference with the Feminist Majority Foundation and a few female members of Congress, CQ HealthBeat reports (Norman, CQ HealthBeat, 10/6). Other speakers at the event included Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal and Reps. Donna Edwards (D-Md.), Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Ohio), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).

Pelosi called health reform "especially necessary for women." She added, "In its totality, when we present the bill, and that will be soon, I think all Americans will see that this is very important legislation for individuals and families -- their health and well-being as well as their financial security" (Office of the Speaker of the House release, 10/6).

Pelosi said that less than 50% of women receive health insurance through their employers and that in the current individual insurance market, women can be charged 50% more than men for the same policies. She added that women are denied coverage in the individual market for pre-existing conditions like past caesarean sections or history of domestic violence. Women also are often denied maternity coverage and pay more in out-of-pocket costs, Pelosi noted. "In our legislation, no one will be denied coverage or charged higher premiums for pre-existing conditions," Pelosi said.

Pelosi assured the audience that the House health reform bill will include a public option as a part of a health insurance exchange. The Senate Finance Committee rejected amendments to add a public option to its version of health care reform.

Moore said, "We've got a woman in the House, a speaker in the House, who's going to make sure we have a public option." Schakowsky said, "This year, 2009, we are going to provide the health care all Americans need, and it will have a public option included" (CQ HealthBeat, 10/6).

House Prepares for Debate, Senate Finance Committee Awaits CBO Score

In other health reform news, House Democratic leaders said rank-and-file members will be presented with options Wednesday for how to move forward with outstanding issues in the bill, Roll Call reports. According to Roll Call, those issues include the public option, how to address federal funding for health plans that choose to cover abortion services, changes to Medicare reimbursement rates and the final balance of cost cuts and tax increases to pay for the overhaul. House leaders indicated that a final version of the bill could be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for cost analysis as early as this week (Newmyer, Roll Call, 10/6).

Meanwhile, Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said he expects the committee to approve its health reform bill in the coming days, although the panel is still waiting on a score from CBO before holding a final vote, The Hill reports. Although Baucus said he is hopeful that the CBO score will not delay progress on the bill, the final vote could be pushed back another week if the score does not arrive in time for a vote this week (Young, The Hill, 10/6).