WHEREAS:

            The sisters of AFSCME have long called for equal health care costs and access to services unique to women to continue a healthy quality of life; and

WHEREAS:

            The historical Affordable Care Act (ACA) will ensure our sisters in AFSCME receive evidence-based preventive health care services requiring health insurance plans to cover well-woman visits, breastfeeding support, domestic violence screening, and contraception by eliminating cost sharing; and

WHEREAS:

            Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stated, “These historic guidelines are based on science and existing literature and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need;” and

WHEREAS:

            For the first time ever, HHS directed the Institute of Medicine to conduct a scientific review and provide recommendations on specific preventive measures that meet women’s unique health care needs and help keep women healthy; and

WHEREAS:

            This is another part of this administration’s move to address the health and well-being of our communities through initiatives such as the ACA; and

WHEREAS:

            The ACA outlaws discrimination in insurance co-pays and premiums for the same coverage based on gender; and

WHEREAS:

            The current Veterans Administration health care system in this nation is unprepared to adequately and fairly treat women veterans who are also sisters of AFSCME; and

WHEREAS:

            Military women must also be granted affordable, comprehensive, preventive health care services during their military service and this same affordable, comprehensive, preventive health care must be continued upon their return home from war or other conflicts identified by our nation’s Commander in Chief; and

WHEREAS:

            Women cannot be denied coverage by an HMO or health insurance company because they have a pre-existing condition such as breast cancer, had a C-section or have injuries from domestic violence; and

WHEREAS:

            Women will not have to obtain “red-tape” permission to see their OB-GYN doctor; and

WHEREAS:

            The Health Resources and Services Administration-supported health plan coverage guidelines for women’s preventive services will help ensure that women receive a comprehensive set of preventive services; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME supports the Affordable Care Act as advancing the goal of all people having access to affordable, comprehensive, preventive health care services on an equitable basis regardless of gender or economic status; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME opposes efforts to pass legislation denying access of all people to affordable, comprehensive, preventive health care services on an equitable basis, regardless of gender or economic status.