Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress and the National Partnership for Women & Families released a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data to estimate the number of nonelderly women and girls in America who have preexisting conditions. The piece is an update to a column that the groups published last year.
The new analysis finds that nearly 68 million—or more than half of—nonelderly women and girls could be subject to discrimination by insurance companies if the Trump administration’s health care repeal lawsuit succeeds. Examples of discrimination include outright coverage denials as well as being charged more based on health status, including treatment for specific conditions women may develop, such as pregnancy.
“The Affordable Care Act’s protections for preexisting conditions play an especially important role in the lives of women and girls, particularly those who are Black and Latina, who are more likely to have health histories that could lead to them being discriminated against,” said Jamille Fields Allsbrook, director of women’s health and rights for the Women’s Initiative at the Center for American Progress. “The Trump administration’s lawsuit threatens to upend the health and financial security of the most vulnerable women.”
“A ruling on the health care repeal lawsuit (Texas v. United States) could come any day now,” said Sarah Coombs, senior health policy analyst at the National Partnership for Women & Families. “An adverse decision could deny millions of women fair access to comprehensive and affordable coverage. The Trump Administration has refused to defend the Affordable Care Act and the stakes are extraordinarily high for women who suffer from preexisting conditions.”
Click here to read “Moving Backward: Efforts to Strike Down the Affordable Care Act Put Millions of Women and Girls at Risk” by Jamille Fields Allsbrook and Sarah Coombs.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Colin Seeberger at [email protected] or 202-741-6292.