The Affordable Health Care for America Act Helps Unmarried Women

Washington, D.C.  —  A new article published at the Center for American Progress outlines several provisions in the Affordable Health Care for America Act that will address existing health insurance obstacles facing unmarried women and serve to expand quality, affordable health insurance coverage for them.

Unmarried women — single, divorced, and widowed — face unique challenges in obtaining and maintaining health insurance.  With less income, jobs that often do not offer health insurance plans, and without access to coverage provided by the policy of a spouse, these women often face nearly insurmountable challenges to obtaining health insurance.  One quarter of unmarried women between the ages of 18 and 64 are currently without health insurance.

“The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a major step forward in addressing the health insurance disparities that affect unmarried women across all income levels,” said Page Gardner, Founder and President of Women’s Voices Women Vote (WVWV).

“While it is our hope that the Senate will address the unnecessary and discriminatory Stupak amendment — which goes beyond existing restrictions on abortion and effectively denies abortion coverage within the insurance exchange program — the Affordable Health Care for America Act undoubtedly will help millions of women currently without health insurance.”  Gardner added, “Nevertheless, the Senate ought to ensure, at the very least, that women are afforded the right to spend their own money on insurance plans that meet all their health care needs.”