Last month, pro-choice Ohioans and legislators gathered outside the Statehouse as we have done time and again. But this time something was different.
Politics in the Exam Room: A Growing Threat
“Do no harm.” Health care providers take this oath. It underpins clinical decision-making and the essential relationship built on trust between providers and patients.
New Report: Politics in the Exam Room, A Growing Threat
The most insidious way American politicians attempt to influence the behavior of private citizens is by quietly passing laws that legislate doctor-patient communications, going so far as to force doctors to lie to patients.
39 Years of Shame
Imagine a public policy that pushes women who are living paycheck to paycheck deeper into poverty… that exacerbates the health disparities that plague our nation…
Modernizing Managed Care in Medicaid and CHIP to Improve the Quality and Value of Health Care
In June, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update the managed care regulatory structure for both Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program – marking the first time managed care rules will be substantially revised in more than a decade.
A New Tool Helps Consumers and Purchasers Advocate for Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes
Throughout our health policy work and in our role co-leading the Consumer-Purchaser Alliance (C-P Alliance), the National Partnership advocates for higher quality, more affordable, patient- and family-centered health care.
Medicare and Medicaid: 50 Years of Improving the Lives of Women and Families
If there was ever a moment that illustrated how public policy can transform people’s lives, it may have come 50 years ago today when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare and Medicaid programs into law.
Illinois Youth Leaders Campaign to Repeal Parental Notification of Abortion (PNA) Law
My heart dropped when I heard the news on July 13th, 2013. In just one month, a youth-targeted abortion law was going to be enforced — a law that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois had held off through litigation since 1995 — requiring that medical providers of youth under 18 notify a parent or guardian at least 48 hours before providing an abortion.
The Wrong Way
Extremists in the House of Representatives seem to be firmly in charge as their fiscal year 2016 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) funding bill advances quickly.
Drawing On Lessons Learned to Improve Open Enrollment for 2016
The third open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance marketplaces is fast-approaching — it begins November 1, 2015 — and now is the opportunity for policymakers and marketplace administrators to harness lessons learned from the previous enrollment periods to improve the plan comparison and selection process this fall.
Lawmakers Should Take a Walk in Her Shoes
On June 5th, with the stroke of a pen, Governor Pat McCrory restricted the rights of North Carolina women by signing a bill imposing a 72-hour mandatory delay on abortions.
Griswold and Me: A Love Story
On Sunday, I’m getting married. As I prepare for this milestone and draft my vows, I’m thinking about our life together and the family we might someday create.
A Long Time Coming: Health Technology in the Hands of Patients
Did you know that you may already be able to access your digital health records from home? Harnessing the power of technology to improve health and care doesn’t have to be complicated; you don’t need the latest Fitbit, Apple Watch or GoogleGlass for technology to make an impact on your life.
The Imperative to Challenge Public Policies that Criminalize Pregnancy Outcomes
By now, most reproductive rights, health and justice activists have heard of Purvi Patel, the Indiana woman sentenced to decades behind bars after what she maintains was a miscarriage.
Next Generation ACO Model: Helping Make Care Accountable
To further expand accountable care across the health care system, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced the Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program.
No Meaningful Use (MU) Without Me: The Power of Consumer Voices
As you know, at the National Partnership for Women & Families, we strongly believe health IT is a real game-changer for patients, helping them take charge of their health and become true partners in improving our health care system.
Pennsylvania’s Women’s Health Agenda
At a time when women all across this country face discrimination in the workplace and need greater access to reproductive health care, it was encouraging to see what happened in Pennsylvania this week.
Millennials Lead a Texas-Sized Movement for Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice
My family moved from Mexico to the United States in 1993 shortly after I was born. Texas became our home and there we built a life that was founded in perseverance and an unrelenting sense of hope.
Montana House Moves to Preemptively Ban Telemedical Abortion, But There is Good News
In Montana, we are two-thirds of the way through our 64th Legislature and there is no doubt that 2015 is a tough year for reproductive rights.
The ACA at Five: Incredible Progress Already and More to Come
Since its enactment, the Affordable Care Act has had tremendously positive implications for the health and economic security of women and families. Now, President Obama has launched a new forum to help achieve the law’s full promise.
