10 Ways Women Could Be Affected by the Repeal of the Affordable Care Act

The Kaiser Family Foundation has released a brief detailing the catastrophic impact President Trump’s repeal of the ACA would have on women.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, if passed, the Trump Administration’s AHCA would potentially mean:

  • Eliminating federal funds for the ACA’s Medicaid expansion.
  • Capping federal funding available to states for Medicaid.
  • Cutting off federal Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood.
  • Changing financial assistance in the individual insurance market, including how tax credits are calculated and how much insurers can account for age when determining premiums.
  • Implementing new restrictions on coverage for abortions.
  • Rescinding the requirement to cover essential health benefit, including maternity care, preventive services, and mental health care. The AHCA removed this requirement for Medicaid expansion but does not address it for private plans.

In addition to these measures, the AHCA would also leave room for the GOP to pursue stricter limitations on myriad services vital to the health of women and girls of all ages, such as:

  • Eliminating the requirement that public and private plans cover preventive services without cost sharing, including cancer screenings and well-woman visits.
  • Eliminating or modifying the requirement that most plans cover birth control without cost sharing.
  • Weakening protections or benefits related to care for pregnant and postpartum women.
  • Repealing ACA insurance reforms such as prohibitions on charging women more than men for the same coverage or denying coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

Click here to see the full brief by the Kaiser Family Foundation. To learn more about the fight for women’s health, please visit Millions4Roe.org.

 

About

Lauren Young is a Ms. contributor. She has a Master’s Degree in European and Russian Studies from Yale University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Russian Civilization from Smith College. Follow her on @thatlaurenyoung.