Women's Access to Health Care Services


Given the high numbers of uninsured women and the fact that even women with health insurance face barriers to care, states should enact policies to help women gain access to health coverage and care.  This section examines state efforts to bring more women into the safety net, remove barriers caused by a lack of health care insurance and the inability to leave work to address medical needs, promote patients’ rights under their managed care programs and facilitate women’s access to specific services.

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Access to Health Insurance & Services: 

The indicators in this section reflect whether a state has public policies and programs that support women’s access to health insurance and services.  In particular, the Report Card identifies those policies that promote greater coverage through Medicaid because of the critical role of this federal-state program in providing access to care for millions of low-income people nationwide. States can expand access to Medicaid, improve outreach efforts to eligible populations and pursue expansions for otherwise ineligible populations (i.e., childless, non-disabled, non-elderly adults).  The Report Card also examines state policies that improve access to health care by regulating the private individual health insurance market and by aiding individuals with limited English proficiency to gain access to needed services.

Access to Specific Services: 

States can improve women's health status by broadening access to specific services important to women. The indicators in this section address pharmaceutical costs, long-term care issues, mental health care services, coverage of diabetes-related services, length of maternity stays, breast and cervical cancer services, family planning, abortion access and violence against women.

Family and Medical Support: 

Many women facing a serious health condition or caring for a family member cannot afford to take needed time away from work. Because women disproportionately bear the responsibility for family care giving, many endanger their own health by struggling to meet the demands of both work and family care. While providing unpaid family and medical leave is an important step in helping Americans balance work and family responsibilities, enacting paid leave policies makes such leave more affordable and therefore feasible for lower-income families.

Patients' Protections in Managed Care: 

Most insured women are enrolled in some form of managed care plan. Concerns exist about managed care practices that may impede access to needed treatment, especially higher cost care, and to fair grievance mechanisms. States can adopt many different protections to ensure women’s access to care under managed care plans.